ESSAY 2 (Improved)

        Battle of the Genders

Expectations that culture has had on women and men has deeply affected the working

environment for women and men in many different ways. From how/where they work, to how they are treated not only on the job but also at home, and the recognition they receive from the work they do or do not do. In text Exploring the Managed Heart by Arlie Russell and in article The Politics of Housework by Pat Mainardi, both authors seem to come to an agreement that society has utterly managed to segregate women and men when it comes to making a living.

The ideas about gender affects the work one does in many ways. In society it is believed that women are more “emotional” so therefore they should work at home, take care of kids, work at nursing homes, become nurses, or any job that requires an emotional attachment to another person. While men are believed to be professional, strong, and sophisticated, so therefore they are viewed as doctors, office men, negotiators, construction men, and mostly jobs that are “white-collar” or jobs that require physical strength. Centuries ago (before 1970’s, The Politics of Housework; Editors Note) it was believed that women should be absolute “housewives,” women did not have careers, they stayed home, took care of kids, cleaned the house, and had events with the rest of the housewifes. Although over the centuries, times have changed, most cultures still have the same kind of idea. For example, now a days, a couple with children, both have careers, and both work busy jobs. Although both work, it seems like the wife tends to work double. At work and at home. She might confront her spouse about it. It only seems fair that if both have jobs, then both should be doing housework. Yet something seems to happen when most men are confronted with house work, “I don’t mind sharing the housework, but I don’t do it very well. We should each do things that we’re best at.” (Paragraph 4, The Politics of Housework) Also suggesting that it is in a woman’s nature to do house work, not in mens. Stereotypes like “It is in your nature” have essentially set this mindset to the working community. For example, although it is illegal now, women were once (and still may be) paid less than a man who does the exact job as her. Why? It was believed that men worked due to the fact that they had to maintain their wife and family. Which was true, but it was also believed that women worked just to have a little more money in their pockets. Which might of been true but not always. So due to that little stereotype, till this day (although illegal in the United States) some women are paid less than men.

The segregation of men and women in the work force has also affected the physical environment in the workforce. For example, rules. In the 1980’s, flight attendants had become a very popular job, with good pay but not the best reputation. The rules of the job were extremely strict (compared to today), you had to have a certain look, a certain style, and act in ways that might of violated the flight attendants morals (depending on the person.) Smiling was the key rule, they were constantly reminded to smile, “Now girls, I want you to go out there and really smile, your smile is your biggest asset. I want you to go out there and use it. Smile. Really smile. Really lay on it.” (Exploring the Managed Heart; Paragraph 3) Although it sounds a bit stupid and simple, it is more complex than that. “There is smile like a strip of paint on the nose of each PSA plane. Indeed, the plane and the flight attendant advertise each other. The radio advertisement goes on to promise not just smiles and service but a travel experience of real happiness and calm…. this is no more than delivering a service...it estranges workers from their own smiles and convinces customers that on-the-job behavior is calculated. (Exploring the Managed Heart; Paragraph 5) Did I also mention that in the 1980’s this job was a particularly a womans job? Completely segregating men from this work force.

Segregation of women and men in the workforce has further lead to strikes and lawsuits (Wal-mart for example), stating that it is unconstitutional for women and men to be further discriminated just because of their genders. How ever till this day this is still an issue. And the solution to this problem is not in court or in the hands of the government, but in the hands of us, of everybody. We need to realize that all though we are all different, in the end we are all meant to learn. If a woman can not do a job that is consider primarily as a mans job, she can learn, and vise-versa. All we must do is accept the fact the each and everyone of us is capable of the same exact things.