Gender and Race: The Difference Makers in Jobs

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Gender and Race, the Difference Makers in Jobs

Introduction

Since the Industrial Revolution in the United States of America, working conditions for women and minorities have not been given equal pay or top positions in the work place. Women being degraded by the men in charge, and minorities constantly at odds with one another so they will not form a Union. Such things keep those with low-status in the job in line, and not feel they are equal to the ones in charge. People from other countries are in search for a better life elsewhere, and take the risk of going to the United States illegally to seek out the American Dream. The articles Working at Bazooms by Meika Loe and At a Slaughterhouse, Some Things Never Die by Charlie LeDuff deal with the working conditions for women and minorities. Workers in both articles have to deal with having terrible working conditions, harassment in the workplace, low-status within the job, and the constant fear of job loss.

Summary

The author for Working at Bazooms, Meika Loe, is doing a six month long research study at Bazooms, considered to be a family restaurant and a titllating sports bar. She applies to the restaurant unbenounced to the manager that she is doing it for a study. During her interview, she was shown an image of a blonde haired and busy girl in a tight shirt and short shorts. The ages of the women working there are 18-28 college students or mothers. Working with 60 other women, she only interviewed those whom she felt closest to and honestly answer her questions. Some of the women she interviewed were not for the working conditions or how content they were with the job. The management at Bazooms is four men managing 60 Bazooms girls and 40 kitchen men. Since the business is ...

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...o as long as they are getting money.

Conclusion

The articles by Meika Loe and Charlie LeDuff both exhibit how working conditions for women and minorities post-Industrial Revolution United States has not changed. Though some of what was happening at Bazooms was not the same as the slaughterhouse, both had do deal with verbal abuse, considered to be the lowest common denominator in the workplace, and fearing for your job. In today’s society, such affairs still happen within the workplace. People are viewed based on their gender or race and not their actual work ethic. Those who are illegal aliens get exploited for their status and get scrutinized for the wages being lowered since, they have little to no power cannot challenge authority. The women at Bazooms are degraded not only with the managers, but also the customers; however they can challenge authority.

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