Dorothy Sayer's Essay: Living To Work

In regards to employment, women today can do paid work, but their work is usually menial, badly paid and lacking in status (Krieken et al, 2000). Kate Millet (1970) saw women as a reserve labour force who are made use of when they are needed (for example in war time) but are discarded when not required (Krieken et al,

One of the first jobs I ever got when I was younger was being a cashier at a Save- a Lot grocery store. I was 15 years old and I absolutely loved that job.

Currently I am studying for my psychology degree and planning on finishing with my bachelors’ degree in 2014, I have faced

In, “Halving the Double Day” by Dorothy Sue Cobble, she realizes that women get the bitter end of having a poor socio-economic status. Women are more burdened than men with balancing activities. Cobble states, “But none feel the pressure more than those juggling full-time employment with what can seem like a second shift at home” (Cobble, 1). Cobble believes that women, especially in lower income households face more stress and have less time to do things they want in life because they are burdened with finding and working in jobs as well as balancing house hold duties. Unlike men, who’s primary role in the household is to go out and work, women now who are in lower income families have to take on both roles assisting in income and doing house work. Furthermore, Cobble emphasizes that only those who are rich can benefit from the vast benefits that outsiders see in living in America. Cobble states, “Similarly the highly touted family-friendly workplace-the coveted market nook with flexible work schedules, job sharing, child care assistance, and comprehensive health and welfare coverage-is not yet a reality for the majority of salaried workers, let alone hourly workers”

Throughout time, women have been considered housewives and mothers. Not all women stayed home, throughout history women have worked, mainly clerical jobs, teaching, charity workers, and other less demanding physical work. It was never a new thing that women were in the work force, it was the impact the propaganda posters and WWII made on the women in that workforce. This propaganda poster; titled “We Can Do It” features a beautiful women with her arm flexed and she is in her work coveralls, above her it say “We can do it.” the author is J. Howard Miller, he uses pathos and ethos to inspire a social movement that increased the number of working women, and changed the face of the workforce.

Having thoroughly thought out my career choice, my assessment also shows this. I am getting my degree in computer support. In the assessment, my top results

Dorothy Smith was born in England in 1926. In her late 20’s she applied to the London School of Economics for her undergraduate studies in the hopes of getting a better secretarial job (Dillon, 2010, p. 333). Smith (n.d.) has indicated that the London of School Economics was where she got a degree in sociology and social anthropology and also met her future husband, William Reid Smith (para. 1). Later in 1955, she decided along with her husband to move to the United States for their graduate studies at the University of California (Dillon, 2010, p. 333). However, while she was doing her doctorate degree they divorced, making her responsible for their two children and for earning a living alone (Smith, n.d., para. 2). Beginning in 1964, Smith taught sociology for a few years as a lecturer at the University of California before moving back to London (Smith, n.d., para. 2).

After the death of woman works at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company became public knowledge, women were working towards receiving proper wages and expanding their employment options. By the 1920 around 25 precent of employed woman were office workers or telephone operators, 8 million woman working for wages, and one-quarter were married woman. The female work force no longer just consisted of young, single white woman. In Charlotte Perkins Gilman book Woman and Economics offered woman “evidence of a ‘spirit if personal independence’ that pointed to a coming transformation of both economic and family life. ”(Give

Barbara Gaston was an old family/friend, who I didn’t have much history on. She grew up in Cincinnati, OH. She married at age 23 and defined herself primarily as a wife and mother for the next 20 years. She was a young mother and wife, which was not untypical during this time. She was the first born of four children, and later lived in a blended household. Her father worked in copper mines, logging, and road construction. While her mother on the other hand was a stay at home mom who took care of the children and did housekeeping. They lived on what her father earned, as credit was not yet established as a way to obtain personal object and things. She explained that if a woman were to work outside of the home at this time in history, they would have held traditional gender roles such as a school teacher, nurse or secretary. She came from a traditional religious background, as religious beliefs held their own expectations of being a woman, and how a woman ought to be, including sexuality. Her grandmother was also a stay at home mother, choosing not to go into the workforce.

Whether a woman was the mistress of a plantation or the wife of a yeoman farmer, her life was defined by work. Only a small number of women, those related or

Frances Perkins wanted to make a change in the American people’s lives. She looked at individuals with the perspective of hopes, fears, virtues, and as citizens of the United States (“Frances Perkins,”2011). Her outlook of society was to help the poor, promote the working individual and to improve the quality of life for all. Perkins witnessed a fire that killed helpless factory workers where she realized her role in the world. “Seared on my mind, as well as my heart- a never to be forgotten reminder of why I must spend my life fighting conditions that could permit such tragedy” (“Frances Perkins (1880-1965),” 2016). The scene provoked Perkins to work for reform in working condition, especially women and children (Sprague, L. W. 2014). Frances Perkins began to volunteer and work with families, individuals, and communities. She accompanied women in factories and in the settlement house. It became an opportunity to study workers, the poor, and their work/living conditions within the community. She also became educated

development because I will learn in-depth information related to my field and be able to apply

In the quite hours of early morning my mother rises out of bed, as she has done every morning for the past twenty-two years. She quietly begins her long day by making tea and cooking breakfast. Before the day ends, my mother would have cooked several meals, cleaned several times and worked a full time job. My mother’s daily routine is not unique and has historically been done by women for centuries. Even today, women are supposed to do it all, have a family, and take care of the house/children and work full-time. Women who are in the workforce are unpaid and the work they do at home is viewed as inferior. They often deal with sexism and racism in the workplace. Changes in law and our thought process need to occur to create and an equitable system of work for all women.

During World War II, many people moved in to new jobs for the war effort. This included women by the millions. “Rosie the Riveter” was a national symbol of women taking jobs in the industrial field while the men were away fighting the war. “She was fictional, but represented the ideal government worker, including being loyal, efficient, and patriotic”, (Bowles, 2011).

About three years back, I had just turned sixteen and had finished 10th grade so I was enjoying my summer vacation just like other kids enjoying their summer vacation after a long school year. One day, my mother said I should get a job. She said it would teach me how to