Response Paper
The above is a confirmation and admission of sorts on the widely held view and conception of racism and gender specifications. It stems from the fact that there are certain jobs and occupations that are concerned to be common in certain races while others are not considered to be same. Specifically, it stresses on the fact that the immigrant workers especially the Asian and Latina women commonly secure jobs in areas of manufacturing. It includes being helps in restaurants, hotels, offices, convalescent homes, private residences, and others which are not regarded as highly in the human society. It is important to note and mention that the roles that the society considered to be care sensitive are mostly occupied by the women, due to the natural abilities of the women relative their male counterparts.
It is a clear departure from the traditionally held view and subsequent demand which has put more emphasis and attention in the demand of males as part of the work or labor force. The above thus introduces another aspect and spectrum in the equation as far as a political economy. The above stems from the fact that by the close of the nineteenth century, the Western nations heavily relied on the male immigrant workers. To work at the mining industries, railroad construction and agriculture (Hondagneu-Sotelo, 2005). Thus, they were naturally separated from their families for a long period, given the nature of their work. The above has since changed or shifted to the women because, in the current dispensation, they undertake most of the work previously done by their male counterparts. It is worthy to note that the women who form the bulk of the workforce come from a lower spectrum of the socio-economic classification and dimension.
South of the Border Down Mexico Way
In the recent past, social commentators and economists have urged and advised on the need to open the border between the United States of America and Mexico. It would be a mutual boost and benefit for the whole region. Because in the current state of affairs, the industries in the United States of America rely on the immigrant workforce from Mexico. Because it is readily available plus it is relatively cheaper. Thus, by freeing the border, this would also be a benefit to the Mexican society. Because it would help its residents to find the readily needed employment that has been created by an increase in the number of industries (Symes, 1992). It is the reason as to why there is a rise in the number of night or sex workers who are mostly women, in travel agencies. It is to imply that the Tourism industry in these underprivileged areas and regions would rely solely on the salaries or wages from the escort business to supplement their earnings.
In the same breadth and line of thought, the Mexican government, realizing that the buck stops with it sought means and avenues to ensure that the huge workforce does not lay idle and in waste. Thus, the Mexican government introduced a raft of measures to help it attract foreign companies to set their bases in Mexico. For instance, the move to ensure that the low taxation policies, no requirement or restriction to invest in Mexico on the profit made amongst many others. This move was by all means taken advantage of and utilized by the countries around Mexico, who would naturally take their raw materials to Mexico for manual processing before looking for other markets where profits would be realized. Regardless of this fact and circumstance, the wages paid to women remained a little less and lower than the male counterparts because their salaries was considered only as a supplementary income.
Bonds of Sisterhood-Bonds of Oppression
This article specifically tries to bring to the front the issues and aspects of oppression as was defined by gender activities and the feminists at large in the period of the 1960s and the 1970s. At first, the first categorization stemmed from the demand by the activists. And such groups firstly advocated on the need and urge by the society to liberalize women. From the perceived notion that it squarely lies on the females to do house chores and duties. It was thus, a widely held view that in order for the women to grow and develop, or reach a point of self-actualization. Then the women had to be first and foremost freed from the drudgery or burden of domestic chores and duties (Oliveira, 2012).
As a matter of fact and retrospect, the society especially the middle-class women who had acquired the title of the missus and were on the front line of women liberalization employed double standards of sorts. For instance, they were loud on the need to free women from the traditional domestic roles and improved their consciousness. While at the same time, they were hiring poor women of color to work in their domestic homes. This is to bring to the front and to the fore the contradiction and the impossible nature of implementing the requirements of the self-actualization and liberalization crusade as were put forth by the middle-class women. From the face value, they were financially well off and could thus afford the luxury of crusading against the role of women in domestic chores whether paid or not. Because they could hire other women to do their work for them.
References
Hondagneu-Sotelo, P. (2005). Families on the Frontier: From Braceros in the Fields to Braceras
in the Home. The new immigration: An interdisciplinary reader, 167-177.
Oliveira, N. F. D. (2012). Sisterhood across different races and ethnicities. Em Tese, 17(3).
Symes, R. W. (1992). South of the border, down Mexico way. In Pacific Telecommunications
Council 14. Annual Conference (pp. 172-175).
