Governmental Family Policy Essay -- Women Feminist Papers

Governmental Family Policy The modern working woman is struggling to balance work and family. The Second Wave of feminism has pushed her into the workforce, promising its ideals of equality in wages and in the home. However, many women find themselves in a world that devalues their work in home and in the workplace. Our society has not yet caught up to the Third Wave of feminism, which attempts to break down the traditional gender roles our constructions of work and family are based on. Many are hoping that government intervention through work policies that reflect the demands of an egalitarian family will be able to propel men and women out of the "stalled revolution". One must now address the question why the United States government is not following the lead of other industrialized nations if they are so supportive of "family values" and "moral values." Until there is a public outcry that can no longer be ignored, which is fast-approaching, the government can continue playing with words in order to avoid accountability. The problem exists with how these policies are categorized. The common term applied to such policies is "social benefits." This language alludes to the "social welfare state"-an ideal a liberal democracy like America does not strive to uphold. The American attitude for such concerns is usually along the lines of "you have your rights, now work it out for yourself." However, it is crucial to break down the relation between these family-friendly policies and the word "benefits." Progressive policies do not predominantly "benefit" working mothers. Without such policies, women cannot pursue their right to earn a living in the same way a man could. Earning a living is not a "benefit," equal opportunity fo... ...ing Job For Kids." 21 Jan. 2003 http://lexis-nexis.com Coltrane, Scott. Family Man. New York: Oxford UP. (1996). Contemporary Women's Issues. March 2003. Vol. 52, No.2. http://lexis-nexis.com De Pasquale, Lisa. "The PC Workplace." The Washington Times. 27 April 2003. http://lexis-nexis.com English, Holly. "Workplace Issues; When employers deal with 'gender issues,' they need to include men." Legal Times. 10 Nov. 2003. http://lexis-nexis.com Fuss, Diana.. "Inside/Out." Critical Encounters: Reference and Responsibility in Deconstructive Writing. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1995. 233-240. Hochschild, Arlie. The Second Shift. New York: Rutledge Publishing, Inc. (1995). Gerson, Kathleen and Jacobs, Jerry A. Changing the Structure and Culture of Work. Journal of Women's History. September 2003. Vol. 15, No.3. http://lexis-nexis.com