Blog Assignment #3

One of the articles that I found most interesting was the Ehrenreich & Hochschild article, “Global Women.” I like this not only because it shows how societal wealth helps perpetuate the gendered roles of housekeeping and child-rearing, but also because it touches on the idea that nannies help men avoid performing feminine tasks. One quote in the article reads, “The lifestyles of the First World are made possible by a global transfer of services associated with a wife’s traditional role- child care, homemaking, and sex- from poor countries to rich ones.” (51) I completely agree with this because many of the successful “career-women” of today’s age would not be able to continue with their lives were it not for the housekeepers from Third World countries that they employ. By going off to work and importing domestic house workers such as Josephine Perera, First World women help to continue the system that they are trying to break free from. Furthermore, I believe that many women in today’s society prefer to find a female nanny to replace them when they enter the workforce, which obviously perpetuates the views of the gendered roles in child rearing. I also found this article interesting because it briefly mentioned the fact that the use of nannies and domestic servants not only allows women more freedom, but also allows men to avoid having to perform these cross-gender tasks. I find this interesting because I believe that not only are men more likely to hire domestic servants so they can pursue their careers, but it is something that is expected in society. I think that society encourages men to hire nannies because it allows the children to have a feminine influence on the children.
Another article that I found interesting was Read & Bartkowski’s article “To Veil or Not to Veil?” Just as Professor Messner pointed out in class, I found it interesting that each side was able to understand the opposition’s viewpoint. The fact that each side recognized veiling was a personal choice and did not have to do with religious devotion showed the extreme amount of tolerance Muslim’s exhibit. I also find it interesting that each side realized how the veil is a form of social control, even the women who choose to veil themselves. The fact that they succumb to this form of control shows that they are willing to perpetuate the gendered stereotypes of sexuality for the sake of their culture. I believe that this shows how many women believe that feminist issues are not nearly as important as the preservation of culture and heritage. I think that this also holds true for many Asian cultures where many women simply succumb to systems of patriarchal oppression because they believe it is a part of their culture.
In regards to Messner’s question on “situated knowledge,” I do not believe that it is an impediment to seeing the world clearly. As people progress in their lives, they are able to accumulate a vast array of experiences and through these experiences, they can develop informed opinions. Although each experience that a person goes through affects their short term decisions, I believe that in the long run it allows for more objective viewpoints.