Nursing Men

As nursing is perceived as a mostly nurturing field, it comes as no surprise that it is deemed as predominantly women career. However, men are again surprising society in actually showing an interest in what these jobs have to offer. Even though many are not aware, most of the duties that are taken on by a nurse are not even evaluated by a doctor. Merely keeping the patient alive and sustaining their basic medical needs are just some of the responsibilities they must take on. The term 'nursing' literally refers to a more feminine and inherently mother-like career. Due to the fact that society just really does not want to admit that men can in fact have emotional, ironically men are encroaching on this type of "nursing" labor field. 

Below is an article I found on just that: 

CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE

The "Lunch Lady"

As far as my college career has gone in Women and Gender Studies courses, one thing that has never been discussed or acknowledged is the "Lunch Lady" concept. In also every cliche high school, prison, or middle school movie (and real life for that matter) have included the miserable lunch lady. However, they always have some monumental advice to offer the situation. If this isn't an innovative example of exploitation that is almost "untouched', I don't know what is. Why is the Lunch lady a cliche instead of the BBQ man? Why have we not considered this in terms of gender AND labor?

Below is a blog from an older women who is not complaining so much about being a "lunch lady" but give insight for analyzation:

CLICK HERE FOR LINK

I could sure use an extra million I don't know about you

I'm sure I'm not the only one who has sat around and drooled over what I could do with the money that Martha Stewart gets paid to literally show her face on TMZ. However, what most don't consider is that a man doing the same movie who may be a co-star with the same amount of find time, might get a few extra thousand just for having a penis. 

As told by Forbes, here is an article that might startle you (note the rhyming skills).

CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE

No Happy Endings Here

One interesting aspect to the world of gender and labor is Massage therapy. I many ways this could be considered as sex-work for its mere physical release but the gender of a massage therapist is something that quickly comes up when entering any parlor. Due to the way society portrays men, as sexual monsters per say, they must feel awkward when the inevitable question comes in the play "Do you prefer a male or female masseuse?". This article I came across on the the NY Times Postings is very out-of-left field but it something to be discussed in future GLabor class conversations. This is from almost a first person perspective and leads into the issue this put for for men who would like to pursue this field and also women who may feel objectified from either the customer's end or the masseuse. 


CLICK HERE FOR ARTICLE

Women are okay but Men have GOT to go?

I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this, but Obama recently just retracted his statement of allowing Women and Children Islamic refugee's into the country with higher screenings of male immigrants. Now whether you agree with his decisions in allowing refugees or not, let recognize and question the grossly clear stereotype women have globally stamped onto their heads. Even though these women are from a completely different part of the globe, they are supposedly a much lower threat than males are considered to be. I think this speaks volumes for how far we HAVEN'T come globally in the differentiation of gender especially in such a time of crisis. 

Women are now deemed "Just as dangerous as men" - Article 

What the hell is that supposed to mean? 

DO as I SAY NOT as I DO

From the perspective of an extremely stubborn and confident woman in the food service industry:

Yes yes yes, every waitress knows how TOTALLY annoying male customers can be no matter what kind of service industry you are employed in. I (anonymously) would like to proudly say that I am a Hooter's Girl. 

Due to the fact that I am a college student and involved in many Women's Studies course, there are a range of feminists and within that range, somehow, jobs such as mine always seem to be brought up. Yes I get that I am perpetuation the stereotype. Yes I get that I am objectifying myself. However, on one hand, why can't I use it to my advantage? Before they turn around, I will have used their money to pay off my loans and be ahead of them in more than one aspect. 

That being said, sometimes it is overwhelmingly tiring. I do have a personal gift to befriend the customers by not giving them the chance to be objectifying. However, sometimes their other head takes over for the one on top of their shoulders. It was not until later that I learned that other people suffered this same tired feeling, and it's actually called something. 

Emotional Labor.

Emotional Labor is a very real, very annoying thing especially as a waitress in a more entertaining environment. 

I have come up to customers to deliver, let's say, a beer and constantly gotten complaints that their waitress wouldn't "sit and talk to them". But we all know in Texas Road House you just want your waitress to just go away instead of asking if you want your half full raspberry tea refilled. However, we don't get a pay check for this...only tips. The image Hooter's wants to give off of fun-going happy women has to be expected but not paid for?

This really stuck out to me the more I stuck with the company and I get too aggravated to clearly type out how real this is. I've had managers not schedule girls on bar shifts because they don't smile enough. Basically now because she wasn't doing something she didn't get paid for in the first place, now she actually has less income. Are you frustrated yet?

Don't get me wrong, I have gotten so many unexpected opportunities from this job and more real friends that I could ever ask for. I've written professional proposals to Corporations for managers, hosted meetings with fellow head staff, learned leadership skills that evoke efficient and happy work environments where everyone feels heard and important. 

But let me ask you this, when was the last time you heard or told a male waiter that he should smile more? Is smiling now designated as feminine? And if my $2.35 that I get paid as a waitress is for delivered the food to the table, where's the pay for my face muscles and flirtatious giggling?

Bullshit.

I came across this article on Twitter and I thought it was so similar to our readings that I had to share. Saudi diplomats remain protected, while women are lured into foreign employment are exploited for sexual, physical, economical labor. The women are not expected to come forward and speak out but when they do, their stories are disregarded.

How familiar does this sound?!

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/128655/the-unending-woes-of-nepals-women-workers

-Larisa