Staying At Home
On October 10, 2004 the CBS program 60 Minutes aired a special about women's' decision to partake in the work force versus staying at home to raise their children and how or if they are able to return to work after this extended absence. Before the 1990's women mostly had poorly paid occupations, but within the past few years they have made significant inroads into occupations that were mainly help by the "superior" male gender (Appelbaum 300). Take a glimpse of the world we live in today and you will discover that women now hold positions of considerable power, such as women in the White House working closely with our President and helping him make many of his decisions, women senators, surgeons, and lawyers. This is what the feminists struggled so hard for those many years ago in the women's rights movement, for equal opportunity and non-discrimination for all women in the job market. However, the 60 Minutes special entitled "Staying At Home" painted a different picture of women's ambitions. Many of the women in today's society are departing from the occupations that they worked so hard to obtain, and are choosing to stay at home to raise their families. We can analyze women's participation in the workforce
They want and strive for economic independence but at the same time want to be a significant part of their child's life. However, although these women have left their occupations for a few years some of them do plan to return after they have raised their children. It has been made clear that women of today struggle with two contradictory forces. Liberal Feminists, as described in the text and in lecture, have always been concerned with sexism and discrimination against women in the work place, educational institutions and the media and tend to focus their energies on establishing and protecting equal opportunities for women through legislation and other domestic means (Appelbaum 319 and 320). Many of the men in the business world, including Kim Clark who was interviewed by 60 Minutes, claim that they are frustrated that these talented women are leaving and they are trying to create part time opportunities for them until they are able to return to full time work. Some components of the sociological concept of the functionalist approach to gender inequality can be utilized to evaluate why this has occurred. Although women have overcome numerous obstacles in the work force, the 60 Minutes special entitled "Staying at Home" reported, hence the title, that many of today's successful women are determined to remain at home to establish their own families despite the levels of achievement they have accomplished. Not until recently, women have experienced considerable discrimination in the education and occupations that they have been able to receive. As proved by the women interviewed, women are likely to interrupt their careers to care for their children, no matter how senior a position they might have reached. The functionalist theory holds the belief that the division of labor is biologically based, men and women do jobs which they are biologically best suited for. She claimed she was afraid that if she worked there would be no parent there for her child, which she believed was a crucial part of a child's life and development. Lisa Frelinghuyen, one of the women interviewed, held a position at one of the most prestigious law firms in Washington. Nonetheless, when she gave birth to her first child, she gave up her job and never looked back. These women have distinguished the importance between their careers and their families and have realized that they hold a significant role in the development of their children. Although some women seem to remain suppressed due to their social status, most women are now just as likely as their male peers to receive a college education and move into well paid and respected occupations that were once dominated by men.
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