The Times writes that the percentage of women entering the work force has stalled and maybe even reversed. Is the gender revolution at work finished?
Well, that’s a bit of an overstatement.
(This article is #3 on the most e-mailed list.)
The gender revolution at work for childless women is still going strong. Women CEOs are bursting their way on to the Fortune 500 lists. For childless adults, the gap between men and women continues to shrink. There’s still lots of work to go on that front, and I’m cheering my sisters on.
Apres kids, it’s all a lot harder. I wouldn’t say that the gender revolution at work is finished. I just think it needs new focus. The two career model may be unworkable for the average family. The revolution needs to consider bringing in more men into the home front, increasing opportunities for part time labor, supporting families with adequate daycare, supporting all individuals caring for the sick or elderly. This revolution wouldn’t just benefit women; it would help out everyone.
Apt. 11d 
I just ran a piece on the resignation of Summers at Harvard over a speech he gave a year ago that wrangled with a lot of these issues. The topic hasn’t been helped much by the U of Va marriage study that came out this week (more stay -at- home wives say they’re happily married than working wives). I was the editor, years ago, of a now-defunct magazine called Savvy: the magazine for executive women. We struggled then with what seemed to be the bottom line: that you had to either be single, be childless, or be an absentee mom to be fully competitive/successful. I’m not so sure the “revolution” will ever come because the truth for a lot of us is: work is fantastically interesting, even when stressful – and staying home all day with The Cat in the Hat is, uh, not so interesting… BUT we’re going to have children anyway because even if we do it “half-assed” they turn out fine and by the time we’re ready to curl up with The Cat, we’ve got grandchildren. And we’re established in our careers. So, we can have it all…we just don’t have it quite in the traditional order.
LikeLike
As a fulltime worker mother in a 2-career household, I really agree. Its so much harder when you both have a whole other job to do at home (ie, raise your children). More part time work opportunities would help a LOT for both men and women! I think the problem is benefits…if we had some kind of national health care safety net, people could afford to work part time. seriously.
I also hate these articles that don’t talk about stay at home dads. Don’t they have the same conflicts?
LikeLike
Bring back the pink!
If not, you might have to change it from “I don’t think so” to “I guess so.”
LikeLike
Yeah, the pink is coming back. I started fiddling with the design this week and didn’t have time to finish it. Looks kinda naked right now.
LikeLike
Mom’s choice
In celebrating five years of blogging, Dooce responds to law professor Linda Hirshman’s assertion that “it’s a mistake for educated women to stay home with the kids.”So I went and read some of her work online, and she’s always careful…
LikeLike
Bill was raised polygamist, as was Nikki. Barb was just a Mormon. We haven’t heard much about Margene’s history. She did say in this last episode that she had wanted to be part of this family. I think they married each other because ultimately they believe in the “principle.” I don’t think sex is a chore for anyone, including Bill (now that he has the little blue pill). I think he is a middle-aged man having E.D. problems, which judging from commercials is more common than I realized. They have actually had conversations about how they missed church. But they don’t want to go to Roman’s church, and they would be under too much scruitny in the mainstream LDS church. Plus we have seen Bill pray and ask for guidance. Ultimately I think we will see they are all there because they love each other and they believe it’s the right thing to do. Can you tell I miss my film analysis classes? Help, I need a life.
LikeLike