These readings all focus on the inequalities that women face in the work force. In all of the articles, except for “Maid to Order” there is a great focus on what mothers have to give up to have careers. Both of my parents work, but my mom took time off when she first had children. My parents made the schedule work, but there were a lot of times that one of them (at least) would miss something that they wish they didn’t. This is not to blame my parents; rather it shows how hard the system is. I thought that it was really interesting in “The Mommy Tax” how France is able to provide mothers with so much more support than they receive in America. This seems to be providing system that is more pro-women. I wonder why America has not implemented a system more like this? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that the people who make America’s laws are mostly male. The female population in congress is only 16%, when it should really be 50%. I am not sure if it is different in France’s government, but I think there should be change
In “A General Strike” I thought that a really good point was made. When men go on strike, they go on it for themselves, not for women. Women are always home doing housework, who goes on strike for them? I do think that most marriages are more equal now, but that does not take away from the fact that housework is linked to women. In “Maid to Order”, Ehrenreich makes the point that maids are mostly female. I wonder where this link with housework started? How did our ancestors decide what is feminine and what is masculine? In some ways I feel like it was just luck of the draw.