Re: [Fwd: Re: "Family values"]

[Celia Winkler <cwinkler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 09:35 AM 5/28/1999 -0500, Katha wrote:
>I don't think the difficulties of mothers in the workplace can be solved
>by workplace measures alone. The change must happen at home too.  As
>long as men don't do their share at home and put their own careers and
>amusements first, which most at present now do,  women will be hampered
>in their work. Why should MOTHERS be the ones with "split loyalties" and
>fathers not? Why should DAUGHTERS care for aged parents and not sons?
>Why should WIVES arrange their work lives around   husbands' work and
>not husbands around the work of wives?

Here's an interesting little contradiction. Suppose we did assume that men
would share in the housework and childcare.  Would there be an assumption
that the housework problems are covered, and the long days would go on as
usual?  So, what does that do for the woman living alone? Man living alone?
With or without kids? Or would men, too, demand shorter work days, to the
benefit of even those living without partners? I confess my skepticism.

This is one of the reasons for the argument, also made by Carole Pateman,
for centering the autonomous woman (again, autonomous only in not depending
on an individual man for support).

This is also one of the differences between liberal and marxist or
socialist feminism. We have to remember that capitalists, in trying to
maximize profit, will always attempt to leave the true costs of
reproduction with the worker.

One current struggle in Sweden is over "flexible time" negotiated primarily
by the unions. This is backed by the Social Democratic government as a way
to solve a number of problems: global competitiveness (just-in-time stuff),
individual's' varying time requirements (incluidng the double shift), and
unemployment and underemployment. The Left Party has been skeptical. They
argue that such negotiated flexible time is really for the employers, and
could harm the least powerful workers. One LO member (LO is the blue collar
trade union federation) wrote:  "...If the demands of work life are changed
and become more humane, perhaps the men will have a little time left over
and voluntarily take part in the housework more than today. Is this wishful
thinking? Can the vacuum cleaner and dirty toilets ever hold the same
attraction as computers or career progress for those who believe they can
choose?" (Kerstin Fredholm, Kvinnor och jämställdhet (Stockholm:
Utbildningsförlaget Brevskolan, 1992), p. 28).

I think it's a step, but we have to be careful to keep focused on the end
goal and realize that the problem is complex and multi-faceted. We should
not accept the entire burden of caring for the young, the old, the sick,
and ourselves on our individual shoulders, even if there are two pair.







Celia Winkler
Sociology Department
University of Montana
Missoula, MT  59812-1047
Office: (406) 243-5863
Home: (406) 549-6285
Fax:    (406) 243-5951
cwinkler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx