Feminism as Foreplay: Why the End of Equality is Just the Beginning

[samvara]

A public lecture given by sociologist Dr Susan Maushart, the author of such gems as The Mask of Motherhood: How Motherhood Changes Everything and How we Pretend it Doesn't, Wifework: What Marriage Really Means for Women and What Women Want Next.

She's a fabulous speaker, funny and concise with lots to say. A few things stood out for me:

• Aggression turning out to be a lot less gendered then people thought. It seems that girls are just as capable of inappropriate aggression and poor impulse control if you grow up in a culture that constantly tells you girls kick ass.
• The wages gap is apparently a lot smaller if you compare single men and women. It remains large if you compare parents to non-parents.
• Women aren't necessarily happy as a result of the legal and financial changes over the last generation but women are a hell of a lot happier than their male counterparts.
• 33% of men are likely to be still living at home at 22 compared to %15 of women.
• Weirdness of weirdness, Australia has a much lower % of women working full time compared to the US and the UK. Ironically this is considered a beacon in the US where women have figured out what men knew all along: full time work is no way to live if you don't have a wife.

What I really liked was talking about feminism and saying that in this generation it makes more sense to talk about choices and what choices you make than political agendas. Because really, to me, motherhood isn't looking all that sexy. If I want low wages, poor hours, low status and no future I can get a job at McDonalds. Full time work and a career isn't all that sexy either, job stress, long hours, no personal life and an early heart attack doesn't sound like fun. And frankly, this is what the traditional female and male roles were looking like.

Comments

[creativemeans.livejournal.com]

I love Susan. So practical!

[tiger-75.livejournal.com]

Well, you know, I've always said I wanted a wife. And a nanny, the thought of children.... urrrrgh! The responsibility....

[zebra363.livejournal.com]

I really wanted to go to that, but was training a new person at one of my jobs and couldn't leave on time. Glad to hear about it.

Bettina Arndt did a piece in the paper recently saying there IS no gender gap for wages if you compare hours worked to hours worked. It looks like a gender gap only when you don't take account of the fact that many women only work part-time.

[fred-mouse.livejournal.com]

Ah, but parenting is best considered to be an expensive hobby - if you are lucky it might pay for itself in the long run, but don't bet on it. However, I don't think that people who don't have the drive to reproduce should bother. And if we could get the entire workforce on to part time, methinks everyone would be happier and healthier. *babble*

[ariaflame.livejournal.com]

I nearly had this for next year. But it looks like I've got full time work after all. Oh well. Once I've got my mortgage paid off I might reevaluate. Plus I've got to think of saving for my old age. I'd like to have one.

[mynxii.livejournal.com]

well said :)

my report coming soon :)

[maharetr.livejournal.com]

Goddamn, I completely forgot it was on. *stares at self, headdesks* I'm sorry.

[cupidsbow.livejournal.com]

You know, I think I'm going to have to bunk off again this weekend. I'm starting to feel kind of desperate about one of my fic deadlines. I'm sorry. This is a very sad state of affairs for me, as I'm missing both the show and hanging out with you rather a lot. :(

Soon, my pretty.

*goes off panicking at deadline*

[black-samvara.livejournal.com]

Just be thankful there are other shows for me to love or I'd be two-timing you!

All good, we knew December was going to be a little more exciting.