You could easily compile statistics to make the case that women — at least Western women — are already empowered.
In the United States, woman are 50 percent of the workplace (and 51.4 percent of managerial and professional jobs). Women receive three college degrees for every two earned by men (along with 60 percent of all master’s degrees, about half of all law and medical degrees and 43 percent of M.B.A.’s). Working wives are coming close to bringing in nearly half the household income. Single, childless urban women under 30 actually earn 8 percent more than their male peers.
But all this evidence isn’t particularly persuasive to the one group that should know: women.
After all, you could compile a whole other set of figures that show just how far from empowered we are. Start with the Government Accountability Office study last month, which found that professional women still make 81 cents for every dollar a man makes in a similar job. Then count the women in the corner suites and the highest-paying professions. (It won’t take you long: women currently make up only 3 percent of Fortune 500 C.E.O.’s.) And women still perform twice the housework and three times the child care that men do, even in homes where women are the primary breadwinners.
Telling women they have reached parity is like telling an unemployed worker the recession is over. It isn’t true until it feels true. That’s because measuring women’s power by looking only at women — and by looking mostly at the workplace — paints a false picture.
The percentage of fathers in dual-income households who say they suffer work-family conflict has risen to 59 percent from 35 percent since 1977. Younger couples say they want and expect parity in their relationships. But many women still carry a chip on their shoulders, chiseled in part by years of keeping all those to-do lists in their heads. And if men can find no relief from the pressures of work, they are not going to be able to fit into the revamped economy of home.
Indeed, where flex policies are offered, American men don’t use them as much as American women do. In California, one of two states in the country to provide paid parental leave (or “bonding leave”) for both parents, 74 percent of new mothers took the new benefit compared with 26 percent of new fathers.
There are some practical reasons for these discrepancies. Biology dictates that many women will take pauses during the prime career-building years that men don’t need to take. Similarly, breast-feeding during the first month to year of life means a child necessarily spends more time with the mother. Often, though, what look like causes are really effects — we make assumptions about sex roles and then reinforce them with our behavior. If you challenge those assumptions, it follows that you can change behavior.
Please comment here to let others know your thoughts on how best to change behavior from something mothers do to something every parent does.
Source: New York Times Magazine, October 24, 2010
The great use of life is to spend it doing something that will outlast it
Posted by: true religion | 01/20/2011 at 01:36 AM
There are some practical reasons for these discrepancies. Biology dictates that many women will take pauses during the prime career-building years that men don’t need to take.
Posted by: Coach Purses | 06/02/2011 at 04:57 AM
Content of the article you write so well, so I benefited from
Posted by: moncle outlet | 07/26/2011 at 10:28 PM
Today ,i look this article i find that it is a good .YOU are so great.
Posted by: Moncler | 10/28/2011 at 06:36 AM
OK,you have done well ,great you can write so beautiful ,thank you
Posted by: Moncler Outlet | 10/28/2011 at 06:37 AM
Very lucky that I can read you these fascinating article , it brings a lot of great philosophical knowledge and helpful information , I absolutely believe that knowledge and information will bring many people to help . Thank you for sharing , but also look forward to your update !
Posted by: Coach Outlet Online | 01/10/2012 at 02:49 AM
Learned a lot from the article, keep on Posting this type of brilliant articles.I agree on you opionion. Just take part in this subject talk and learn a lot from it. I really like this keep it up put up with this! I willcontinue to support you.
Posted by: Mulberry Factory Shop | 03/05/2012 at 10:55 PM
Recently, I came accross your blog and have read along.I thought I would leave my first comment. I do not know how to say, I have enjoyed the inter reading.Nice blog.I will remain often visit this blog.
Posted by: Chloe Outlet | 04/02/2012 at 02:08 AM
Women were not allowed to go to scoohl or to university, but the wealthy could be educated at home by private tutors.Women were not allowed to enter the professions such as law, medicine, politics, but domestic roles like maids and cooks.Elizabethan women were expected to bring a dowry to the marriage. Also, Elizabethan woman were raised to believe that they were inferior to men.Here are three great resources.
Posted by: Jhosep | 07/18/2012 at 12:18 AM
As a business perosn whose business slides in the coaching arena in much the same way, Glenn, the one regret I had in my 25+ years of business was that I really wanted to be taught marketing by a professional. Like you, as a career marketing specialist and resume writer, I strive to deliver excellent service and product, resulting in repeat and referral clients but to reach that next level, I needed direction. Reading Jim's blog was the start for me too and then buying the Motivational Master's Class to see what he talked about and how he presented himself. I will soon enter my third year of coaching with Jim and revenues are currently up 31% above all of 2010 with more than a month to go to finish the year.Wise choice you made. We do better when we don't try to do everything ourselves. We need experts in our lives to be our best in our own field.
Posted by: RihannaRobyn | 07/18/2012 at 02:24 AM