Welfare
This chapter of Socializing Care addressed the progression of welfare programs since their beginnings in 1935. Discourse regarding the definition and value of 'care' evolved from wanting to support a woman in caring for her children to displacing and masculinizing the definition of care to an economic model, where the woman uses money from waged work to support and 'care' for her children.
Another prime example of over-zealous privileged women trying to 'help' their less-fortunate female counterparts highlights the societal confusion of feminist goals, when teachers encouraged their welfare-mother students to treat their children as difficult or as a 'hindrance' (129). If you ask me, this just fuels the fire of the stereotype of the self-pitying welfare mom (or feminist...). Teachers are training the women to fight their battles alone. This is not an empowering mentality; it is isolating and pressuring, demanding of self-reliance when there is much more than the self involved.
That being said, the teachers were also pressured by the welfare policy itself. They had time limitations to whip these women into shape. They could only do their best to stuff their students with knowledge and skill. Time is money, and money is care, apparently.
What seems glaringly missing, until the end, thanks to Tronto and her critical analysis of and new visions for socializing care, is the gendered argument. (and even moreso missing, a racial critique). Socializing care is defined by these policies as providing financial support---the typical masculine role. Mothers are simply not going to thrive in their 'caring' through a program seemingly built for men.
Welfare has always been a trigger-word for me. Although I admittedly know very little about it, I have deep emotions connected to the issue. I remember being shocked when my parents recounted how they were on welfare when my sister was young. I mean, sure, we didn't have much and my clothes were never new, but I didn't think we were poor! (because we weren't...anymore...I was just a wee baby back then).
In high school, as my classmates became more and more proud and bloated with their AP-status, I first began to notice privilege at work in people my age. In our first government class, my classmates would describe welfare recipients as fat, lazy, alcoholic, abusive women who just have kids to get money. MY BLOOD WOULD BOIL. FIRST OF ALL, how does that argument even make sense????? Do people really think it is such a breeze to have a child? A free ride?
and second of all, YOU DO NOT KNOW MY MOM, my family, ME! My parents worked their asses off and were responsible teen parents. I am so proud of them. They benefitted from having large families and managed to escape the hellish cycle of poverty. But at that age, for the first time, I felt like the minority. I felt like they were calling me dirty and poor and worst of all, lazy.
It is my own personal story that helps me believe there is a place for the state in helping the family, that there is the possibility for it to work. However, we need to reassess what caring for a family means and what role each family member plays in supporting the home. I wonder how much President Obama's healthcare reform will help/harm welfare efforts? What is the updated situation since Little's essay? Looks like I have some research to do...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Generationskonflikt
Generation Gap
First of all, great article. Is it SUCH a surprise that there are generational conflicts within feminism? (Well, no, and I guess the article agreed.) Feminism and its preceding and subsequent theories and movements have done such a great job identifying diversity and criticizing all kinds of dichotomies and the structures that support them........They've done such a great job that they expect their institution to be perfect! They have internalized this feminist-phobia, if you ask me! It's only ok to be a feminist (or to call yourself one), if you fit the ideal you've envisioned. Feminisms have turned against each other, gladly supported by an ever male-dominated society and commercialism. There are many lines (generational, here) which are no longer being hailed as Anzaldua's glorious borderlands. Instead, they are creases in the sheet of paper that is feminism, the entire movement possibly folding in on itself.
The mother-daughter conflict is particularly interesting for me. I have a very mixed opinion of my mother. On one hand, I have always been proud of her for being a successful, brave teen mother. On the other hand, I'm sickened by her dependence on men and standard of beauty. I do not accept her emotional irresponsibility, but I am in love with emotional, and even recklessly so, women. The things I despise about my own mother are the traits I find easiest to accept in other women.
I am guilty of matricide in my own family. And in a quest for relating to my older feminist cohorts and reducing the inferiority I feel, I deny their motherly position. Instead, these women are older sisters or mentors. My step-mom, a very successful business woman, recently insulted my political convictions by slandering my feminism by reminding me that Sarah Palin calls herself a feminist. I see my step-mom wear her suits to work, coming home everyday frustrated that somehow her two male bosses aren't making her a partner yet... I understand that she thinks I am too idealistic and naive. An only sister to seven brothers, her entire life has been contextualized by gender. I understand her much more than she thinks. I try not to take her remarks personally. Instead, I hope to work forward so that the next generation of women won't have to feel such bitterness about these never ending gender injustices, such as her under-valued workplace status. I am not interested in pleasing my mother figure or fighting the battles she couldn't win. I, and the new generation of feminists, I think, will have to decide what is relevant now and how our goals can be reached. Undoubtedly, we will also leave the next generation of women with feelings of both approval and disappointment.
I get completely frustrated with 3rd-wave feminism, and yet--some of Baumgardner's work was the most inspiring when I first became interested in feminist politics. It does have its place. Friedan's complaints seem to be a privileged white woman joke, but she spoke to a whole generation of women with a legitimate argument. Contextually, all these feminisms have had and will continue to have their place.
In my opinion, feminism will continue to split into several specialized groups. The whole field of study is increasingly focused on intersectionality. The new goal is to make feminism usable. The new generation's activism is infusing feminism into everything--we are flash-mobbing across all the new frontiers. Feminist bloggers are infiltrating the internet frontier, accessible to almost anyone! Lady Gaga and her sort continue to raise questions to the public--not just about personal stuff, but about commercialism and success and art. Our generation is out of the private sphere. We are in the streets, but we no longer only need large demonstrations to be noticed. We are sneaking into every corner, infecting every social circle with feminist thought. It is important to remain organized at a basic level, such as organizations like NOW, but feminists should stop looking for the next posterchild or bumper-sticker injustice to fight against. Feminism is too good of a thing to be limited. Feminist theory and history is very important. Everyone should be educated about history. We can only help the next generation of women if we recognize what has been done for us by the last generations. Appreciation for the complexity and power of feminism can bridge the gaps between generations of feminists and allow for new means of exercising it. Ego needs to go out the door! At this point, we're all responsible.
First of all, great article. Is it SUCH a surprise that there are generational conflicts within feminism? (Well, no, and I guess the article agreed.) Feminism and its preceding and subsequent theories and movements have done such a great job identifying diversity and criticizing all kinds of dichotomies and the structures that support them........They've done such a great job that they expect their institution to be perfect! They have internalized this feminist-phobia, if you ask me! It's only ok to be a feminist (or to call yourself one), if you fit the ideal you've envisioned. Feminisms have turned against each other, gladly supported by an ever male-dominated society and commercialism. There are many lines (generational, here) which are no longer being hailed as Anzaldua's glorious borderlands. Instead, they are creases in the sheet of paper that is feminism, the entire movement possibly folding in on itself.
The mother-daughter conflict is particularly interesting for me. I have a very mixed opinion of my mother. On one hand, I have always been proud of her for being a successful, brave teen mother. On the other hand, I'm sickened by her dependence on men and standard of beauty. I do not accept her emotional irresponsibility, but I am in love with emotional, and even recklessly so, women. The things I despise about my own mother are the traits I find easiest to accept in other women.
I am guilty of matricide in my own family. And in a quest for relating to my older feminist cohorts and reducing the inferiority I feel, I deny their motherly position. Instead, these women are older sisters or mentors. My step-mom, a very successful business woman, recently insulted my political convictions by slandering my feminism by reminding me that Sarah Palin calls herself a feminist. I see my step-mom wear her suits to work, coming home everyday frustrated that somehow her two male bosses aren't making her a partner yet... I understand that she thinks I am too idealistic and naive. An only sister to seven brothers, her entire life has been contextualized by gender. I understand her much more than she thinks. I try not to take her remarks personally. Instead, I hope to work forward so that the next generation of women won't have to feel such bitterness about these never ending gender injustices, such as her under-valued workplace status. I am not interested in pleasing my mother figure or fighting the battles she couldn't win. I, and the new generation of feminists, I think, will have to decide what is relevant now and how our goals can be reached. Undoubtedly, we will also leave the next generation of women with feelings of both approval and disappointment.
I get completely frustrated with 3rd-wave feminism, and yet--some of Baumgardner's work was the most inspiring when I first became interested in feminist politics. It does have its place. Friedan's complaints seem to be a privileged white woman joke, but she spoke to a whole generation of women with a legitimate argument. Contextually, all these feminisms have had and will continue to have their place.
In my opinion, feminism will continue to split into several specialized groups. The whole field of study is increasingly focused on intersectionality. The new goal is to make feminism usable. The new generation's activism is infusing feminism into everything--we are flash-mobbing across all the new frontiers. Feminist bloggers are infiltrating the internet frontier, accessible to almost anyone! Lady Gaga and her sort continue to raise questions to the public--not just about personal stuff, but about commercialism and success and art. Our generation is out of the private sphere. We are in the streets, but we no longer only need large demonstrations to be noticed. We are sneaking into every corner, infecting every social circle with feminist thought. It is important to remain organized at a basic level, such as organizations like NOW, but feminists should stop looking for the next posterchild or bumper-sticker injustice to fight against. Feminism is too good of a thing to be limited. Feminist theory and history is very important. Everyone should be educated about history. We can only help the next generation of women if we recognize what has been done for us by the last generations. Appreciation for the complexity and power of feminism can bridge the gaps between generations of feminists and allow for new means of exercising it. Ego needs to go out the door! At this point, we're all responsible.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Diversity Dialog
I am excited to hear what the women at ICIW brought up in their dialog. How will it compare to ours? And what did they have to say about college students????? Really interested to hear those responses.
I thought our diversity dialog was a success. I felt really comfortable with you ladies (I always do) and was also very pleased to know that being 'pc' was NOT part of this discussion. It can sometimes be difficult to grasp and properly use all the GWSS lingo.
I am glad we spent a lot of time talking about our 'invisible' identities. It seems that we were all able to identify with each other's situations to an extent....but what is interesting to me is how we prioritize our experiences or identities. Especially if we are in minority situations, we might be more prone to analyze a situation through that identity lens (or a certain combination of identities), whereas another person might have different gut responses based on their personal experiences.
Happy to see I am not the only person who struggles so often with over-compensation. I am very certain that over-compensation is going to rule me when we're in the prison, at *least* for the first few visits. I appreciated L's confirmation that this is part of breaking the cycle of socialization.
Ready to get back to IWIS with you fine women. How's the other volunteer stuff coming along? I sang with the men's choir last Tuesday for the first time. Lots of differences and similarities. I was mostly surprised by the way the prison physically hides itself even though it's SO close to free life...
I thought our diversity dialog was a success. I felt really comfortable with you ladies (I always do) and was also very pleased to know that being 'pc' was NOT part of this discussion. It can sometimes be difficult to grasp and properly use all the GWSS lingo.
I am glad we spent a lot of time talking about our 'invisible' identities. It seems that we were all able to identify with each other's situations to an extent....but what is interesting to me is how we prioritize our experiences or identities. Especially if we are in minority situations, we might be more prone to analyze a situation through that identity lens (or a certain combination of identities), whereas another person might have different gut responses based on their personal experiences.
Happy to see I am not the only person who struggles so often with over-compensation. I am very certain that over-compensation is going to rule me when we're in the prison, at *least* for the first few visits. I appreciated L's confirmation that this is part of breaking the cycle of socialization.
Ready to get back to IWIS with you fine women. How's the other volunteer stuff coming along? I sang with the men's choir last Tuesday for the first time. Lots of differences and similarities. I was mostly surprised by the way the prison physically hides itself even though it's SO close to free life...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)