Women's Oppression & the Industrial Revolution
http://web.clark.edu/afisher/HIST253/lecture_text/WomenWorkingClassIndustrial%20Revolution.pdf
During the height of the industrial revolution,
many working-class women found themselves in an extreme oppressed society,
where the only the lower-class (or the poor) were in need of income
to survive. Women working during this era found themselves segregated and
demeaned from society due to the fact that the middle-class found women in
the work force to be demoralizing and degrading.
The pay scale for women was far less than their male counterparts. And even lower for women with children. Single women had five options of obtaining work during this era; domestic service, factory work, street-selling, manual labor, agricultural work, mine work, and prostitution. Women with children had lesser options and were often paid less due to the fact that there was an assumption that they were married and therefore did not need the money as much as a man who support their families. Most working mothers would bring their children in to work with them in factory positions, often working long hours with very poor conditions. Child labor laws were not in effect until 1832, which only deemed that children under nine are no longer allowed to work and others above that age cannot exceed a 12-hour work day.
Men during this era, only worked four - five days a week and would waste their money on drinking. Because men were not as reliable and were paid more, women were exploited and were used to fill most of the factory positions, working longer hours; approximately 16 hours a day, 6 days a week. Reform came in many ways throughout the years, which changed working conditions and eventually offered women the ability to obtain an education and gain access to higher pay jobs; however, as we know to this day, women are still paid less for same positions held by men. So remains the injustice in women's oppression on the subject continues, as Congress refuses to pass the Paycheck Fairness Act rejected several times by the Republic Party in 2014. This Act would have forced employers to address the difference in pay for each gender and help eventually close that gap.[1]
“. . . . female discrimination is still playing a huge role in America. There are more than one circumstance in which women are on the end of sexual, financial, and social oppression though the law states discrimination to both sexes are illegal. However, this is just more evidence to support the fact that the society we live in are turning a blind eye to the oppression faced by women.”
This is such a difficult reality to face, especially because we know how prevalent oppression can be still today in the face of women. It's interesting how it all traces back, though. Even though men were less reliable and worked less, they were paid more. Simply for having male genitalia. And of course that continues today, mainly in higher-up positions in the workforce. Professions are just as gendered as clothing is, and it's super scary to think that we once lived by such harsh standards, because that history completely affects how we deal with that situation today. Women are expected to take the lower-paying jobs such as teaching or being a secretary, while men are expected to be the "breadwinners" and get jobs that will provide for their families. This isn't reality anymore. Most families require men and women to join the workforce (assuming the family is nuclear). Only the top 1% can live on one income. Now, we are starting to see women getting much more of an education and going for jobs that are usually seen as "masculine" like being the CEO of a company, or owning her own business. It is important to remember, though, as this article shows, women were always involved in the innovation of each era and revolution...they just didn't always get proper credit or compensation. Great article!
ReplyDelete- Julie
DeleteAlso, not all women choose to have children nowadays. A lot of companies expect their female employees to leave for a time (which saves them some money) after having children, thus lowering the opportunity to climb the ladder and gain better-paying positions at their job. This makes up a very small percentage of the wage gap, especially now with more women choosing to live without children.
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