Argumentative Essay On Working Mothers

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Families are our first introductions into the mores of society. They teach us where we came from, and form the foundation of ourselves. Often, our identities are formed in conjunction and opposition to the family structure we grow up in, as we mold ourselves into a unique yet derivative sense of self. Yet these “kinship ties” vary wildly in different societies, and the American nuclear family that we view as second nature is sexist, racist, homophobic, and generally a regressive and limiting ideal that does not depict the reality of modern life. In many ways, it never truly existed except as an abstract, conservative view of a perfect and moral society. Still, society guilts women for their inability to achieve a perfect balance between work …show more content…

For many working mothers, the decision of whether or not to stay at home is not one they are allowed to make. Today, women are only or primary breadwinner in 40 percent of households with children under the age of 18, and like most parts of American society motherhood is classed. Yet society is relentless in telling women that working will negatively impact their children and home lives despite studies stating the opposite. Many of these female breadwinners also have to contend with sexism in the labor force, with the wage gap and the segregation of poorly paid “pink collar” work keeping them from earning as much as their male counterparts. As white women have gained economic power, minority black and hispanic women have been relegated further into the home as maids, who save them from having to do the housework in the dreaded second shift. But the women forced to work in these positions often face subprime wages, poor working conditions, and a lack or organized labor which keeps them from achieving any level of economic comfort. Poor women who can not work or make enough to sustain themselves above the poverty line cope with more challenges, as they risk losing their children to social services for infractions outside of their control. These women often have to endure dehumanizing trials to regain custody, assuming they can afford the legal fees associated with

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