The Feminization of Poverty

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One of the Biggest Challenges for Women Today: The Feminization of Poverty The division of labour and education along gender lines, racial inequalities and discrimination, and unpaid domestic labour all contribute to the growing feminization of poverty. Feminists are working to decrease the income gap, to benefit the overall health of women and the population at large. The term feminization of poverty describes the disproportionate amount of women who are poor, and its link to the division of labour along gender lines (Calixte, Johnson, & Motapanyane, 2010). The Canadian Labour Congress reported that in 2005, women working full time earned 70.5 cents to the dollar that every male in a comparable job earned ( as cited in Calixte, et al., 2010, p. 17) Across the board, women are more likely to suffer from poverty than men are (Harnan, 2006). Feminists are constantly trying to decrease the wage gap with activism. Women are more educated now than they have ever been, but even women who are university graduates are earning less than men. Frenette and Coulombe reached the conclusion that this was often due to their degrees being in gendered fields of study, such as the arts and humanities (as cited in Gaszo, 2010, p. 224) Women also tend to work in fields associated with lower pay, which includes service and sales work (Gaszo, 2010). In the garment industry, women, especially immigrants and women who work at home, are routinely taken advantage of by companies such as Wal-Mart and paid far too little (Ng, 2006). Racism and discrimination along the lines of ability and age also contribute to poverty in women. Women of colour are underemployed and paid less than white women (Gaszo, 2010). They are also more likely to be employed ... ... middle of paper ... ...oronto: Inanna Publications and Education Inc. Noble, Bobby (2010). Strange Sisters in No Man's Land: Still Thinking Sex 26 Later. Mandell, Nancy (5th ed.), Feminist Issues: Race, Class, and Sexuality (110-130). Toronto: Pearson Canada. Reece, Raimunda (2010). Feminist Theorizing on Race and Racism. Mandell, Nancy (5th ed.), Feminist Issues: Race, Class, and Sexuality (87-109). Toronto: Pearson Canada. Rice, Carla (2010). Exacting Beauty: Exploring Women's Body Projects and Problems in the 21st Century. Mandell, Nancy (5th ed.), Feminist Issues: Race, Class, and Sexuality (131-160). Toronto: Pearson Canada. Schulenberg, Jennifer, L. (2006). Same-Sex Rights for Lesbian Mothers: Child Custody and Adoption. Andrea Medovarski & Brenda Cranney (2nd ed.), Canadian Woman Studies: An Introductory Reader (337-348). Toronto: Inanna Publications and Education Inc.

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