Assignment #3

In Ehrenreich and Hochschild’s “Global Woman” article, the situation of third world women being shipped to do work in other countries is explained. Families in severe poverty need a way to be sustained and in poor countries, mothers see going to another country as an opportunity to do this. Upper class families see this as an opportunity as well because they will not have to pay as much for these women who are desperate for money. They leave behind their children and families and everything they know to work as nannies or maids. What makes the stories even more heart-wrenching is the children’s reaction to their mothers leaving them. Some children lose all communication with their mothers or even threaten to commit suicide. There are many issues with the situation at hand. One is a race problem as women from places such as Mexico, India, and Malasia travel to places such as the United States or England, thus solidifying the race gap. Also, this is separating men and women and showing that women have to provide for their families because the men cannot always, but also that they are traveling to do jobs that are typically created solely for women. In Yen Le Espiritu’s “Americans Have a Different Attitude,” the author describes the Filipino lifestyle and its views on American life. As a Filipino growing up in America, many children are taught that Americans have fewer morals and that they will have sex with basically anyone. Filipinos are expected to be less promiscuous and more reserved and these views obviously just continue racial stereotypes. Boys are even taught not to marry white women because “they will leave you.” Another interesting fact is that Filipina females are much more closely watched than males and are expected to carry on the family name and preserve their innocence. Males do not have as strict of rules and are treated differently. Filipinos often envision themselves as the superior group and look down upon whites and their decisions. It is interesting that Filipinos supposedly frown upon the United States yet they move here to live and work and raise their own families. I think that “situated knowledge” can be an impediment because if we rely on previous knowledge and let it impact our experiences, our own views will be affected and it may be in a negative way. Humans will probably always use situated knowledge as a basis for ideas and opinions but it is important to experience the world and not just see through a single-minded view.