Gender Stereotypes In The Childcare Industry

545 Words2 Pages

Childcare is still considered to be the primary responsibility of women and therefore, a “non-essential service” because women are ‘dispensible’ to the workforce and supposedly consistent with outdated traditions are better utilised in this capacity (Corr & Carey, 2017). I acknowledge, this is a very complex and multidimensional argument, but why do we as women allow to be stereotyped and disadvantaged in this manner? Unsurprisingly, Chesters and Baxter (2011), state that childcare educators are intrinsically drawn to the occupation because of the great job satisfaction they receive, however, because of this, the industry is a predominately a female workforce and as a result is now heavily affected by the consequences of gender segregation (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2017). …show more content…

However, a significant amount of women are either part-time or casually employed within the childcare industry because of their own caring responsibilities, therefore, perpetuating the gender-based pay gap, adding to the pressures of job instability and therefore facilitating the uncertainty of economic security for females in the workforce (Kaine, 2017). Essentially, the implications of a casualised and part-time workforce on a low wage like that of childcare educator affects not only a women's short-term finances but also her superannuation contributions, therefore, negatively impacting upon her retirement and increasing her reliance upon the state (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2017). These workers who care and educate our children whilst we chase our careers are the very employees whose work continues to be undervalued and whose wages fail to reflect that importance of the job they are tasked with (Jovanovic, 2013; Chesters & Baxter,

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1309 Words | 3 Pages
When intensive mothers are busy with thier responsibilities in the public sphere, due to their belief that a mother is the central caregiver, their temporary replacement must exclusively be female (Hays 414). Even with a female nanny who “leaves the place in a mess, makes a petty point of not putting the dishwasher on […], never gives the correct change from the supermarket and “loses” all the receipts” (Pearson 84), Kate still makes every effort to keep the nanny in her family. From the perspective of intensive mothers, men are not capable of providing the same quality of care that a woman is able to provide (Hays 414). From a gender essentialist perspective, Kate argues that “Emily and Ben need me, and it’s me that they want. […] Daddy is the ocean; Mummy is the port, the safe haven they nestle in to gain the courage to venture farther and farther out each time” (Pearson 169). Therefore, intensive mothers find “alternate mothers,” that is, credentialed female child-care providers (Hays 412) such as Paula, Kate’s nanny, as well as Jo, Alice’s nanny who are able to promote the intellectual enrichment of their
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Analysis Of A Mothers Day Kiss-Off
992 Words | 2 Pages
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1384 Words | 3 Pages
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820 Words | 2 Pages
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1026 Words | 3 Pages
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1497 Words | 3 Pages
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1117 Words | 3 Pages
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Gender Stereotypes In The Childcare Industry

Analysis Of Intensive Mothering

Analysis Of A Mothers Day Kiss-Off

Sexism In 'Madam E. E. O. Get Me A Coffee'?

Anne-Marie Slaughter's Unfinished Business