Comparing History of Workforce Gender Inequality in the United States and China

Throughout history, women, both white and of color, have been discriminated against in the workforce by the men in power as well as society. In the pre-industrial era of the United Sates, it was socially unacceptable for women to work outside of the home since the men were considered the main wage earners responsible for providing for the family. In the beginning of the twentieth century there was an expansion of the government and a change in the economy which demanded workers in the labor force. When WWII came about, the absence of men gave women availability to work outside the home. During these times, White women were segregated into sales and clerical work, whereas women of color or immigrant women were pushed into domestic service and manufacturing work.

Although women were allowed to step out of the home to work, they were still seen as weak and temporary workers. Since there was an ideology that women’s primary role was connected to the home, they were seen as distracted by their family, therefore less hardworking. Because of this ideology, employers (White men) paid women less due to this undeserving label that was attached to them. This then lacked the ability for women to support their families and excel in their careers. It also affected them emotionally with the negative facade that has been constructed about them throughout history. This inequality based on gender still affects women in the United States today in many aspects such as:

· segregation into female dominated jobs that pay less and have low autonomy
· minimal career ladders
· sexual harassment
· wage gaps

For more information and a deeper reference, check out…
http://www.answers.com/topic/women-and-the-work-force

This history of gender inequality/ male domination has not only been apparent in the United States, but globally as well. It is much more apparent in Asian cultures both past and presently, therefore that is where I will focus most of my attention. For example in the early years of China, there was this ideology that men were the dominate gender and that women were meant to serve and answer to men in all aspects of life. Chinese women were ripped from all their rights and equality and the men were responsible for the work outside the home. In this way, women were forced to rely on the dependency of men in regards to economics. This is ultimately how the men could further control their wives and family. When women were finally depicted in the workforce, it was because of the Opium War of 1840. The economy was down which forced employers to outsource to other groups of laborers that they could pay less and ultimately treat poorly. Women were taken from their homes and forced into hard labor such as textile, agriculture and industrial work. Although this was a harsh time for Chinese women, it ultimately gave experience for women to work outside the home today.

The links below provide in-depth looks on the ways in which early Chinese women were treated...

http://www.hyperhistory.net/apwh/essays/cot/t3w24womenchinap2kk.htm

http://acc6.its.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~phalsall/texts/chinwomn.html

The United State's culture ideologies of patriarchy and White supremacy shifts its way overseas in countries such as China. Over the recent decades, the United State's capitalist economy has resorted to outsourcing overseas in order to minimize labor costs and maximize profit. In the process, the treat women and people of color (minorities) poorly and unfairly. Over my next few blog posts I will continue discussing this issue.

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