Women and the Economy Essay

SAMPLE EXCERPT . . .
Ultimately, this has resulted in a phenomenon known as the feminization of poverty. This term refers to the fact that there are significantly more women in positions of poverty compared to men on a global scale. This creates a situation where women often lack the economic power to fight for their rights and issues in their interest. Essentially, the research suggests that "the degree of gender stratification is inversely related to the level of economic power women can mobilize and conversely, the less economic power can mobilize, the more likely they are to be oppressed physically, politically, and ideologically" (Bolender 1). This is what allows a male dominated society to make rules and laws about female fertility issues and other woman's related concerns. Margaret Anderson would agree that the gender wage gap is responsible for putting women at a disadvantage economically, but also putting them in a more vulnerable place regarding their oppression from a gender and fertility standpoint as well. Here, Anderson would assert that the discrimination against women in the economic context allows for more discrimination in personal and political issues as well.

As long as female workers are paid less than men in the working world, there will always be a gap that opens up the possibility of oppression and exploitation. The lack of equality in the workplace generates the type of patriarchal influence that keeps gender discrimination alive and well, even in a modern society. It is important to keep working on legislation targeting gender wage gaps to empower women more from an economic standpoint.

References

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Bolender, Ronald Keith. 2006. Feminist Conflict Theory. Articles. http://www.bolender.com/Sociology/Articles/Feminist%20Conflict%20Theory.htm.

Essay on Women and the Economy Assignment

Mutari, Ellen & Figart, Deborah M. (2003). Women and the Economy: A Reader. M.E. Sharpe. [END OF PREVIEW] . . . READ MORE