As industrialization grew, so did the work force, employing women in a way they hadn’t previously been. While women now composed a large portion of the work force, they were not able to vote or hold public office, preventing them from shaping policy or having the power to change the conditions of their labor. As women moved from what had been traditionally been gendered domestic labor into the industrial labor force, they were suddenly confronted with the disparities they had with men in the workforce. Especially as women took over men’s roles during the war, it was no longer possible to ignore that women were more than capable of being the equals of men. Women had previously been told that they didn’t have the disposition to make them capable of voting, but here they were proving they were the equals of men. If they were out performing the same roles as men, why did they not then have the same rights. Why did they not have equity in working conditions, pay, or upward mobility. Why did they not have the ability to shape the policy that shaped their life through their right to vote.
Labor rights are also issues of gender justice because because so frequently barriers for women’s progress are put forth. Ensuring equal pay is only a small part of it. Biased hiring and promotion practices frequently keep women form jobs or promotion. Access to childcare or paid maternity leave can hinder women’s ability to work as we still live in a world where childcare is most frequently delegated to women. Without ensuring that women have the same opportunities for success within the workplace we cannot say that we support women. Until we work to right these systemic oppressions in the workplace we will still be holding women back.
These issues continue to play out today in biased hiring criteria and practices. Equal pay is something we are working on, but as women continually are passed over for promotions we are regardless denying them the same earning potential. The pandemic has also made more evident the role of childcare in women’s labor rights. With responsibilities frequently falling to women to care for their children at home, mother’s were the ones struggling to maintain their ability to work. Frequently forced to choose between their jobs and the well-being of their children and family, a duty that is rarely faced by men.
Well said. One note is that while getting paid maternity leave would be great getting paid parental leave would be even better because it would acknowledge that all genders are responsible for raising children. It would make an economic difference AND a cultural difference.
Hey Neil, reading the articles and what you wrote, I understand more what women had to deal with and how things need to change. I agree with women still being pushed to the side and not allowing them to grow into a more significant role in certain companies.
Hello Neil, I enjoyed reading your post, it provided great insight into women’s challenges in the workforce. I agree that the “pandemic has made more evident the role of childcare in female’s labor rights”. Plenty of women working on the frontlines were struggling when their children couldn’t go to school, and many took the hard decision to stop working to take care of their children. This clearly leaves women at a disadvantage, having to pause their personal and professional development to do unpaid house chores and childcare
Hey Neil, thanks for your post. I like that you mentioned the details of the process in which change started to happen. Women were put into the work force, but then society expected nothing else to change around that, which isn’t how things work. Thats usually when holes in a system start to really stand out, when anything starts to grow and change.
Inequalities in pay and treatment were revealed as well as inequalities in voting rights. Women now had an interest in policy because it was directly effecting them and their day to day well being, yet they could not take part in the decisions. Men were no longer keeping women so small , they had started to see that were as capable as men. Men let up the grip of oppression long enough that women were able to get a glimpse, a slight shift in perspective possibly.
Thank you for your post, I agree with your mentions about the unjust payment and treatment of these factory workers which still effects communites today. Something has got to change before the whole world goes on strike for fair pay!
Hello Neli,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I liked how you mentioned that even in today’s society issues in biased and hiring practices for jobs is really is. As well mentioning the access of childcare services, there is a lot that has to be resolved.