From: petersm@jacobs.CS.ORST.EDU (Marguerite Petersen)
Newsgroups: alt.feminism
Subject: Re: statistics and questions
Date: 27 Sep 92 07:16:16 GMT
Organization: Computer Science Outreach Services - Oregon State University

In article <1992Sep26.132403.19468@panix.com> gcf@panix.com (Gordon Fitch) writes:
>I gather that one of the critical determinants in women's
>income and hierarchical status is time in grade -- or
>maybe more accurately, time in job experience generally.
>I've seen it repeatedly said that women who have put in
>the same time get the same money and the same promotions;
>may do a little bit better, in fact.  "Time" refers to
>both hours per day and years of employment.  
>
>Those who are interested in equality for women should
>then look at this question of time.  If the women have
>put in less time, what else have they been doing?  My
>guess is that they have not been predominantly lounging
>about watching TV and eating pretzels.  My guess is
>that a lot of them have been taking care of children,
>or possibly other needy members of families.  But I 
>don't have any statistics at the moment.

I don't have any statistics but I can speak from my own experience.
I was sole financial supporter for my husband and I while he finished
college.  I then worked for another two years until I was pregnant.  I
quit work 1 week before my son was born not so much because I wanted to
but our society (at that time) really gave me no other alternative.  (This
was 1969).  Over the next 11 years I had two more children and since it
was not cost effective for me to pay for childcare I stayed at home until
the youngest was three.  I then worked part-time as I found my duties at
home to still take a lot of my time.  When the youngest started school
I looked for full-time work but was told that I needed to upgrade my
skills to be acceptable.  I went back to school for three years while
still working and learned about computers (which I had no experience with)
and attempted again.  For the last 5 years I have had minimal luck getting
work.  I am qualified, experienced and have skills to offer, but I am now
getting *old*.  I didn't expect to get any awards for raising children,
but I did expect a chance to work. 

>Now, if this is the case, I think it's interesting that
>time spent in child care is considered wasted by 
>employers.  I've done it, and it's by far the most
>demanding work I've ever performed.  So I think we might
>be looking at an example of how prejudice works so that
>no one has to look at it.  Women's work in raising
>the next generation, a critically important task for
>any civilization, is devalued, but it's done off the
>stage.  When she finally comes to work, all the guys
>are already there congratulating themselves on their
>industriousness.

That is if one can get back into the work force in the first place.
I guess one could say *I* made the mistake in the first place of
staying home with my children, and all I can say to that is I was
not far seeing enough to imagine that my brain would be considered
by some to have atrophied in the meantime.

>A similar analysis can be applied to the many-hours-
>per-day theory, also known as the "Mommy Track".
>
>As a related phenomenon, consider the demographics,
>status and wages of day-care workers, another group
>of people who engage in child care.
>-- 
> )*(    Gordon Fitch    )*(    gcf@panix.com    )*(
>( 1238 Blg. Grn. Sta.,  NY NY 10274 * 718.273.5556 )

Good points Gordon.  I don't usually post but I do read this newsgroup.
I don't have much hope for work for me but I definitely hope our society
treats my daughter and all the other daughters out there, better than I
feel I am being treated.  In the meantime, Peace and Long Life.

Marg
Newsgroups: alt.feminism