Is sexism obscuring the cure to American poverty?

[boston bean]

Since Genesis, society has contemplated its obligation to our fellow man asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” But perhaps, all this time, we have pondered the wrong question. In confronting poverty, the data causes us to wonder instead, are we our mother’s keepers? And if we agree that we are or should be, then we have clearly failed.

Mothers are the custodians of the world’s poverty. The vast majority of the world’s poor are women and girls. A 2010 United Nations report found that in 85% of the 60 countries surveyed, women were poorer than men. Further, in countries that fail to provide support for mothers, single mothers are far more likely to be poor.

This is not a developing country phenomenon. For example, these data hold true for European nations and the United States.

According to the United States Census Bureau, more than 17 million American women lived in poverty in 2010 while only 12.6 million men were in similar circumstances. Of those women, 7.5 million lived in extreme poverty, meaning their incomes were half the level determinative of poverty by the U.S. Government. It was the highest rate of extreme poverty the nation has seen since it began tracking this data.

http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/05/12/opinion-is-sexism-obscuring-the-cure-to-american-poverty/

[BainsBane]

1. KICK

[Warren DeMontague]

2. I think we need far better workplace family leave laws, maternity leave, universal health care

and a social safety net, not to mention a livable minimum wage.

The way things are set up now, the most vulnerable are most at the mercy of things like illness and unpaid sick days. Lack of child care. Unflexible hours. Lack of Health Care.

The idea of a single mom trying to raise kids and hold down a minimum wage job is just mind-breaking under our current system.

And this "Working Families Flexibility Act" sounds like typical GOP Orwellian Bullshit.

[ismnotwasm]

6. I completely agree with that.

The unpopular Ms. Greer in one of her books said 'Anerica hates its children' and while that's not true, our laws are cold things, treating 'the most vulnerable' like offal.

I think 'maternity leave' should be called 'parental leave' and both parents if needed, have a separate benefit. One of my daughters did this in California-a state that has excellent parental leave laws, despite where you actually work so my Granddaughter had a parent at home (first Mom, then Dad) for the first six months.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. Agreed. And I think this is one area where some European countries- France, Germany spring to mind

have their shit way more together than we as a nation do.

California is better than most states, though, I think.

[niyad]

3. you would think this would be obvious, but, apparently, it is not.

when I think about mother's day, I think about all these things. if we really cared about mothers, there would be child care, health care, decent paying jobs, social cohesion, safety and support networks at all levels, and, we would be observing julia ward howe's mother's day proclamation:

A Mother's Day Proclamation-Julia Ward Howe 1870


Arise, then, women of this day!
Arise all women who have hearts,
Whether your baptism be that of water or of tears
Say firmly:

"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands shall not come to us reeking of carnage,
For caresses and applause.
Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of
charity, mercy and patience.

"We women of one country
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."

From the bosom of the devastated earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says, "Disarm, Disarm!"
The sword of murder is not the balance of justice!
Blood does not wipe out dishonor
Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have of ten forsaken the plow and the anvil at the summons of war.

Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.

Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.

Let them then solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace,
Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar,
But of God.

In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality
May be appointed and held at some place deemed most convenient
And at the earliest period consistent with its objects
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions.
The great and general interests of peace.

[freshwest]

5. Thanks, that always brings tears to my eyes.

[GiaGiovanni]

4. This should be getting far more play on Mother's Day

The impoverishment of females with children--a permanent underclass--is appalling. In our own country single mothers with kids are often working poor or in poverty. Maybe next Mother's day, instead of buying useless corporate garbage, we could help out the local single mothers in our area. There should be a way of organizing that.

[silverweb]

8. K&R

[freshwest]

9. This is from the equality perspective that Democrats believe in...

The RWers don't care about this; they see women being in the workplace as causing poverty. That's why they suggest marriage at all costs, no matter what the sitatuation is for the woman.

If she is working at home for room and board for her husband, raising children or tending the garden or whatever, they say the men will take over the workforce and make more money because there will greater competition for them with half the labor force gone. The family would save on gasoline, clothing, childcare, meals out and other expenses of having both people working.

I'm not in favor of it, but that's what they say in conservative circles. As usual, their solution denies women any future except under the whim of the husband. They toss religion on top to make is all seem like a great thing.

I think this is why equal wages are not moving forward. Isn't that disgusting?