Comments on: Hey “Working” Mom– getting laid off is a “relief”. Really.

By: cv harquail

cv harquail — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:27:05 +0000

Hi Scott,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. Certainly, one important way to deal with gendered dynamics in the labor market is to take yourself out of it and into your own business, be that ‘at home’ or elsewhere. Many argue that work-life pressures are what send so many women to start up their own (small) businesses. I’ve also seen, though, that men and women who have their own businesses still get caught in dysfunctional divisions of work/family labor, so changing the work context is not always enough. Wherever we take our work, we also have to take our commitment to treat each other as equals, regardless of gender (and family status).
Thanks for your post on home based businesses (which folks can get to from the comment above)!
cv

By: Scott Hubbard

Scott Hubbard — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:08:46 +0000

I agree with you. Getting laid off from a job probably does affect men and women differently. For men, it certainly is an “ego” thing. But I feel it can affect women the same way. Many moms are highly qualified in the work place and do have full time, challenging jobs. A lay-off can be devastating.

But today we are seeing both moms and dads starting internet marketing businesses which allows one or both of them to work from home. There are many advantages and disadvantages for moms to operate their own home based business.

Just as you point out, there are challenges to working from home. Women need to consider those in making their decision.

Women working in a home business come from different backgrounds. They each have different skill sets. If a woman does not have a genuine interest in the products, services, or business she represents, she will have a difficult time achieving success.

One thing for moms to consider is that they are able to utilize the skills and talents they possess as they operate their own business from home.

So many times, women find this new venture both fulfilling and rewarding. It’s an option that should not be dismissed. Thanks for the article.
.-= Scott Hubbard´s last blog ..A Job or an Internet Home Based Business Opportunity – Moms and Dads Must Answer This Question =-.

By: Katie Albers

Katie Albers — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 22:32:54 +0000

There is so much packed into this, almost invisibly. There’s the assumption that women are naturally those who work inside AND outside the home; the belief that a woman’s income is optional; the theory that women’s natural sphere is the home. And of course, the reverse assumptions for men in the world. Equally, that men would never be relieved to be laid off (which they sometimes are. It seems to mirror all those 1950s story lines where the husband assumes that he could do his wife’s job easily and better and she would be at a loss to do his job. Of course, that never proved out.) And those are just the tip of the iceberg.

We do know what sexism means…we’re just constantly shocked to find out that it’s so resilient and good at disguise. But sexism is and always has been the practice of believing that women and men are fundamentally different as human beings, not merely in their biological functions.

By: Kerrie Halmi

Kerrie Halmi — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:26:28 +0000

Excellent article. It reflects how much bias is still out there. Check your own bias about women in the workplace by going to https://implicit.harvard.edu It’s very eye-opening–I specifically work with women in Corporate America and I still had deep-seeded bias that more closely associated women with home and men with work (and my husband is stay-at-home, while I work full-time!)

The article also brings to light something I am seeing a lot recently. Bad economic times can bring out the worse in people, including bias.

The more educated we are about these topics the better–keep them coming!

By: Pamela Skinner

Pamela Skinner — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:17:52 +0000

Speaking personally, it would be quite distressing for any single head of household (male or female) but more for those with financial responsibility for others. Some of my research on displaced industrial workers indicates that those with primary financial responsibilities are often reemployment faster than those who do not.

By: Amanda Davis

Amanda Davis — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:16:51 +0000

It’s amazing how widely embedded and accepted gender roles are, as portrayed in original article. Women and men need to have the choice whether to work or be home – it is not selfish to have a career for either gender.

Thanks for the post.

By: AnonymousDW

AnonymousDW — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:15:52 +0000

My husband will likely be laid off in the next couple of months. While I have not publicly admitted it. I did have a passing thought “wouldn’t it be great to have a house husband.”

By: Julia Moore

Julia Moore — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 20:14:20 +0000

Thanks CV–a very important topic in these economic times.

Also not mentioned is what happens when the laid-off working mom is SINGLE and the sole support of the family? Or maybe not single but is the near-sole earner, as in my case? I know that if I got laid off, I would not spend my days fulfilledly taking care of my kids because they are older teens who couldn’t care less whether I am home or not when they are at school. Plus, without my income the family would descend into near-poverty within a few months. Any woman would tell you that they would not be relieved if they were laid off–if a woman works at a job for pay, there is ALWAYS a reason and that reason is always MONEY.

By: CV Harquail

CV Harquail — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:06:39 +0000

Amy, it’s interesting that although the situation has changed, with more and more women being the primary earners (and with this trend spiking as many men get laid off), the interpretations of what these changes mean to us are still often skewed in a sexist way. And, the solutions are skewed too.

I wish that I had noted more closely and then written about the critiques of the Stimulus Plan, where so much more money was directed to industries with primarily male employees vs. those with primarily female employees. I also wonder– in the provisions of these stimulus grants, were there any requirements or expectations that women and men were to be treated equitably– for example, by rehiring/retaining the same percentage of male/female full-time/part-time workers? Did all boats rise when the tub was refilled a little, or only the full-time (usually male) boats? Just wondering.
Thanks so much for your comment…let’s keep talking about this!

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:14:36 +0000

Glad to see discussion of this issue. NO ONE feels good about a layoff, and seeing a “silver lining” is not the same thing as a benefit. I’m the (female) primary breadwinner in my household, and the source of health benefits, and believe me while I enjoy having more time to work out and spend time with my husband – it’s NOT a sustainable situation. And I will be glad to go back to work and cut back on these areas. (Like many I am worried the new job will be a step backward in my career pay and status wise). This discussion and others give me the impression that women as primary breadwinners is not unusual in our society any longer. Maybe we need to be more vocal…