Gender equality
Agenda
1. Warm-up questions
2. Gender equality in the USA
  – historical background
  – current state
3. Parks and Recreation “Women in
   Garbage”
  – about the series
  – gender issues in the episode
4. Discussion
Warm-up questions
1) American women can vote since:
   a)1989           b) 1789                       c)1920

2) The majority of the US population constitue:
   a) men                b) women                 c) no difference

3) On avarage, women in the USA earn:
   a) more than men   b) as much as men
   c) less than men

4) The first book by a woman writer was published in:
   a)17th century       b)15th century         c)1920s
Gender inequality – dispairity
in status, power and prestige
between people who identify
as women or men.
Historical background
• Puritans believed that a woman should be
  subordinate to her husband and dedicate
  herself to bringing up children.
• In some colonies wives:
  – couldn’t work with men
  – worked with men in the field
    and stables
  – were treated as property
  – could only own clothes and some items they
    brought with them into marriage
Tax-supported schooling for girls
 began in 1767 in New England.
• The first published woman
  writer was Anne Bradstreet
  in 1650 (book of poems
  The Tenth Muse Lately
  Sprung Up In America).

• For centuries women used pseudonyms to
  conceal their gender
• Women got right to vote:
  – in New Zealand - in 1893,
  – in Australia- in 1894,
  – in the USA - in 1920,
  – in Britain - in 1928,
  – in Canada - in 1918.
Role of a woman

• The typical housewife was expected to spin,
  sew, preserve food, cook, and clean while caring
  for her children and raising vegetables, chickens
  and geese. A wife was expected to be
  subservient to her father until she married and
  then to her husband.
• Sometimes they worked in typical female
  professions as:
  – teachers, nurses, servants, weavers, factory workers,
    seamstresses
Beginning of 20th century

• Between 1930 and 1931, 63% of cities
  dismissed female teachers as soon as they
  became married,
• 77% cities did not hire married women as
  teachers,
• ¾ of cities did not employ married women for
  any job,
• during    the   Great   Depression   women's
  unemployment rate was higher than that of men,
  because they earned less.
World War II

• Workforce:
  – at the beginning of the war – 12 million
  – at the end of the war - 18 million
• During the war:
  – 350,000 women served in the military
  – 150,000 women computed the speed of bullets,
    measured bomb fragments, mixed gunpowder, and
    loaded shells
  – many more worked as draftswomen, mechanics, and
    electricians, and some received training in ordnance
    engineering
After the war

• In 1946 4 million women were fired.
• Woman - a housewife and man - a
  breadwinner
• Women went to college to find a husband.
• The average working woman in the 1950s
  earned 60% of the average working man's
  salary.
Feminist movement

• A series of campaigns for reforms on issues such as
  reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave,
  equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment, and
  sexual violence.
• The first women's rights convention was held in Seneca
  Falls, New York on 19th and 20th July 1848. 68 women
  and 32 men signed a Declaration of Sentiments, which
  outlined grievances and set the agenda for the women's
  rights movement. A set of 12 resolutions was adopted
  calling for equal treatment of women and men under the
  law and voting rights for women.
What was achieved

• the right to initiate divorce proceedings
  and ”no fault” divorce
• the right to have access to contraceptives
  and abortion
• the right to own property
• the right to vote
• more equitable wages
• access to university education
Gender equality - current state

• 2012 World Economic Forum report on gender equality
   – indicators: economic participation and opportunity, educational
     attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment
   – the US placed on the 22nd position (behind Cuba and Canada)
   – in 2011 – the 17th position
• The Time Magazine
   – almost 40% of American wives make more money than their
     husbands
   – almost 60% of collage students are female
   – the wage gap: women earn 81% of what men do
• U. S. Census Bureau
   – in 2010 women became half of all workers
   – small rise in management positions (35 to 38% in the last 20
     years)
• Possible problems:
  – theoretically equal rights,
  – need to join the role of a housewife and an
    employee,
  – women getting pregnant are often fired,
  – no legal guarantee of paid maternity leave,
  – need for equality in workplace to make use of
    feminine skills, e.g. negotiation skills.
A bit of statistics:
             Aspect                               Comment

Population (in Mil.)            311.59

Sex ratio (male/female)          0.97      More women than men
                                           Women expected to live
Life expectancy (female/male)   1.066
                                                 longer
Income ratio (f/m)               0.62    Women earn less on avarage

Literacy ratio (f/m)              1             No difference
                                         Most politicians are male, no
Women in Paliament (in %)        15.2
                                              woman president
Parks and Recreation
              “Women in Garbage”
Ron Swanson




                Ann Perkins
Ben                 Andy
Wyatt               Dwyer




          Tom
        Haverford
Leslie Knope




April Ludgate
In the episode
Warm-up questions
1) American women can vote since:
   a)1989        b) 1789                c)1920

2) The majority of the US population constitue:
   a) men            b) women           c) no difference

3) On avarage, women in the USA earn:
   a) more than men      b) as much as men
   c) less than men

4) The first book by a woman writer was published in:
   a)17th century         b)15th century      c)1920s
Discussion
1. What do you understand by inequality and feminism?
   Do you think these two terms are still present in modern
   societies? Give examples.

2. Look at the problem of equality from the male/female
   perspective. Try to find arguments for preserving
   typically female and male roles.

3. Nicholas D. Kristof from The New York Times claims
   that ”we have gender equality when we’re no longer
   talking about it”. Do you agree with this statement?
   Why? What is your definition of gender equality?

Gender equality

  • 1.
  • 2.
    Agenda 1. Warm-up questions 2.Gender equality in the USA – historical background – current state 3. Parks and Recreation “Women in Garbage” – about the series – gender issues in the episode 4. Discussion
  • 3.
    Warm-up questions 1) Americanwomen can vote since: a)1989 b) 1789 c)1920 2) The majority of the US population constitue: a) men b) women c) no difference 3) On avarage, women in the USA earn: a) more than men b) as much as men c) less than men 4) The first book by a woman writer was published in: a)17th century b)15th century c)1920s
  • 4.
    Gender inequality –dispairity in status, power and prestige between people who identify as women or men.
  • 5.
    Historical background • Puritansbelieved that a woman should be subordinate to her husband and dedicate herself to bringing up children. • In some colonies wives: – couldn’t work with men – worked with men in the field and stables – were treated as property – could only own clothes and some items they brought with them into marriage
  • 6.
    Tax-supported schooling forgirls began in 1767 in New England.
  • 7.
    • The firstpublished woman writer was Anne Bradstreet in 1650 (book of poems The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up In America). • For centuries women used pseudonyms to conceal their gender
  • 8.
    • Women gotright to vote: – in New Zealand - in 1893, – in Australia- in 1894, – in the USA - in 1920, – in Britain - in 1928, – in Canada - in 1918.
  • 9.
    Role of awoman • The typical housewife was expected to spin, sew, preserve food, cook, and clean while caring for her children and raising vegetables, chickens and geese. A wife was expected to be subservient to her father until she married and then to her husband. • Sometimes they worked in typical female professions as: – teachers, nurses, servants, weavers, factory workers, seamstresses
  • 10.
    Beginning of 20thcentury • Between 1930 and 1931, 63% of cities dismissed female teachers as soon as they became married, • 77% cities did not hire married women as teachers, • ¾ of cities did not employ married women for any job, • during the Great Depression women's unemployment rate was higher than that of men, because they earned less.
  • 11.
    World War II •Workforce: – at the beginning of the war – 12 million – at the end of the war - 18 million • During the war: – 350,000 women served in the military – 150,000 women computed the speed of bullets, measured bomb fragments, mixed gunpowder, and loaded shells – many more worked as draftswomen, mechanics, and electricians, and some received training in ordnance engineering
  • 12.
    After the war •In 1946 4 million women were fired. • Woman - a housewife and man - a breadwinner • Women went to college to find a husband. • The average working woman in the 1950s earned 60% of the average working man's salary.
  • 13.
    Feminist movement • Aseries of campaigns for reforms on issues such as reproductive rights, domestic violence, maternity leave, equal pay, women's suffrage, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. • The first women's rights convention was held in Seneca Falls, New York on 19th and 20th July 1848. 68 women and 32 men signed a Declaration of Sentiments, which outlined grievances and set the agenda for the women's rights movement. A set of 12 resolutions was adopted calling for equal treatment of women and men under the law and voting rights for women.
  • 14.
    What was achieved •the right to initiate divorce proceedings and ”no fault” divorce • the right to have access to contraceptives and abortion • the right to own property • the right to vote • more equitable wages • access to university education
  • 15.
    Gender equality -current state • 2012 World Economic Forum report on gender equality – indicators: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment – the US placed on the 22nd position (behind Cuba and Canada) – in 2011 – the 17th position • The Time Magazine – almost 40% of American wives make more money than their husbands – almost 60% of collage students are female – the wage gap: women earn 81% of what men do • U. S. Census Bureau – in 2010 women became half of all workers – small rise in management positions (35 to 38% in the last 20 years)
  • 16.
    • Possible problems: – theoretically equal rights, – need to join the role of a housewife and an employee, – women getting pregnant are often fired, – no legal guarantee of paid maternity leave, – need for equality in workplace to make use of feminine skills, e.g. negotiation skills.
  • 17.
    A bit ofstatistics: Aspect Comment Population (in Mil.) 311.59 Sex ratio (male/female) 0.97 More women than men Women expected to live Life expectancy (female/male) 1.066 longer Income ratio (f/m) 0.62 Women earn less on avarage Literacy ratio (f/m) 1 No difference Most politicians are male, no Women in Paliament (in %) 15.2 woman president
  • 18.
    Parks and Recreation “Women in Garbage” Ron Swanson Ann Perkins
  • 19.
    Ben Andy Wyatt Dwyer Tom Haverford
  • 20.
  • 21.
  • 24.
    Warm-up questions 1) Americanwomen can vote since: a)1989 b) 1789 c)1920 2) The majority of the US population constitue: a) men b) women c) no difference 3) On avarage, women in the USA earn: a) more than men b) as much as men c) less than men 4) The first book by a woman writer was published in: a)17th century b)15th century c)1920s
  • 25.
    Discussion 1. What doyou understand by inequality and feminism? Do you think these two terms are still present in modern societies? Give examples. 2. Look at the problem of equality from the male/female perspective. Try to find arguments for preserving typically female and male roles. 3. Nicholas D. Kristof from The New York Times claims that ”we have gender equality when we’re no longer talking about it”. Do you agree with this statement? Why? What is your definition of gender equality?