Existentialism is understood as a general approach used to reject certain systematic philosophy rather than a systematic philosophy itself. It looks at how women become a term that acts in opposition of man, how structural components take away freedom from women and discourages the creation of homorganic man and subordinate women (Gardiner, 18). Derived from the school of thought of Simone de Beauvoir, it looks at how women are not powerless and do not need to depend on male-female relationship. Simone believed that, the key to women freedom is economic and therefore women have to get involved in income generating activities. In doing, they could draw themselves from male domination.
Women liberation is hindered by male dominance in all sectors of the employment industry. In the case about the meat packing house, women are allocated to poorly paying job as compared to male counterparts (Horowitz, 193). Additionally, their working conditions are poor and there is little or no promotion at all. Due to the changes in the eating habit, women were incorporated in the packing industries. However, their employment opportunities were greatly influenced by sex, race and ethnicity. Later on, marital status became a major factor that influenced the employment opportunities. The already established sexual division of labor was a great determinant of where women worked.
In their fight for economic liberation and freedom of dependency, gender stereotype like the perception of women being clean than men but less energetic landed them in low paying and non-prestigious work. Additional to gender is the assumption of race and ethnicity. The poverty in a particular racial or ethnical group in language meant that they would typical not afford high ranked jobs (Horowitz, 198). For example, the blacks could not be employed in places within the organization where observers would see them. These jobs were set aside for white American girls.
The entrance of female into the workforce in the packing house came as a result of increased meat demand which necessitated the creation of new departments. Women worked in this department which were of low social status and paid poorly. These jobs were humiliating but due to lack of option women had to do them. East European ethnic women dominated jobs that entailed most training and skills (Gardiner, 265). This was due to their availability, flexibility and reliability to the frontline supervisors. Black women worked in the least desirable women’s job performed under poor conditions and low pay. However, due to their needs, they had no alternative. They were exploited by the management by being given the worst women job due to their poor labor market position. Native born women dominated the cleaner department which required little training. Though the pay was low the conditions were good.
Women sought liberation to the extreme of working in health hazardous conditions such as were in the pork trim department. The rooms were windowless, with slippery floor that the women would slip and fall. The temperatures would go beyond freezing point and their hands would be numb and kept warmth by wrapping newspapers and gunny sacks. The expense which women were willing to go for liberation would at times cost them their fingers due to the speed of the machines.
The discrimination against women was first aired by the United Packinghouse Workers of America. It pushed for the elimination of the gap between men and women. Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, (Horowitz, 210) which was a product of the black freedom struggle, enhanced the liberation and the equal employment opportunity.
Works Cited
Gardiner, Judith K. Masculinity Studies & Feminist Theory: New Directions. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. Print.
Horowitz, Roger. "’Where Men Will Not Work’: Gender, Power, Space And Sexual Division Of Labor In America's Meatpacking Industry. 1890-1990. Technology and Culture. 1997. 187-213. Print.
