Gender and Work

Gender and work was an interesting topic for us to discuss this week, as I recently received a job offer in Chicago for after I graduate. It got me thinking about how many things I will need to plan about a move to Chicago- obviously where to live, who to live with, etc.,  but even other things in the more distant future. I realized that if I plan to stay at the same company for a while, I will also need to look at factors like how long they allow for maternity leave, how flexible hours are to allow for family-work balance, and the quality of school districts in the city. I then realized many of these things are factors that men don't usually have to worry about, especially this early in the future. 

As Joan Acker says in our recent reading, "Inequality Regimes: Gender, Class, and Race in Organizations," the typical 9-5 workday is structured around the needs of a white, middle class man who does not need flexibility for childcare and has no other worries during the day except making a living. It wasn't until I read this that I realized how true- and how outdated- this was.

With all the technology available to us, and the ability to communicate halfway across the world with just a touch of a button, a work-life balance should be easy to maintain. The typical rigid, 8-hour, Monday to Friday workday is not necessary or conducive to the normal family now- nor does it allow for a balance of power in families who have dual incomes.