What Does It Mean to Be a Woman in the Middle of Post-Industrialization? (May Day Edition)

Yesterday is May 1st and people all around the world are celebrating an annual affair called May Day. Yet a common misconception I often stumble upon is how May Day celebrations are frequently adorned with flowers, musical instruments, or dances. Don't get me wrong because I am not opposed to festivities and celebrations. I just find it rather shallow if May Day is solely celebrated as a merry-making event. Because, truth be told, the essence of May Day itself is rooted in struggle. The struggle experienced by millions of child laborers in cobalt mines in Congo who earn less than a dollar per day. Or the racial discrimination faced by immigrant workers resulting in unfair wages.

_{In the middle of all this "hype" about Labor Day that everyone's getting into, I can't help but notice the glaring gaps left unaddressed by many during such a crucial moment. Image source here}

It is quite regrettable because as an employee working for someone else's company, I fall into the category of workers myself. So believe me, I know all too well how it feels to be underestimated and looked down upon simply because those "fat cats" perceive me and all their employees as easily replaceable at any given moment. This is the risk of living in a country with limited job opportunities. There are hundreds of others ready to take your place if you were to resign this very moment, even if the job position is a street sweeper or a sewer cleaner.

I have felt the cutthroat nature of the professional world. It is a world where "survival of the fittest" still rings true. As long as you've got a vulnerable spot in your armor that catches someone else's eye, there'll be those ruthless bast*rds ready to stab you in the back. They won't outright declare themselves as your enemies, but they will hide behind the mask of being "colleagues" or your "loyal coworkers." So, they will cozy up to you all the while to uncover as many of your weaknesses as possible, only to wield them as weapons to bring you down. Is it brutal? Absolutely. But ain't nobody guaranteeing you'll come out unscathed from such a deadly assault.

Women and Labor

These days, women are facing both challenges and opportunities worth discussing in the middle of the post-industrial era. With technology advancing and social and economic structures shifting, women's roles in the workplace have undergone significant changes. Back in the day, at least in the eastern part of the world, women were synonymous with their roles as the runners of the household, raising kids and taking care of other family members.

_{This also aligns with teachings from Eastern religions. For instance, in Hinduism, we see Devi Ma as the Mother Goddess, who is not only a creator but also a warrior and destroyer. Then, in Abrahamic religious traditions, Eve, the first mother, is seen as a symbol of creation (and the source of the harm done by men). The same goes for Jewish belief, where Chavah represents the essence of life and the ability to create, nurture, and enhance new life. Image source here}

We already know how women are always portrayed in this super feminine stereotype. Well in Indonesia we have this thing called "sumur, dapur, kasur" to represent women's roles. For these old-school thinkers, women are just stuck in this loop of "sumur" (doing water-related chores like laundry, dishes, and cleaning), "dapur" (handling cooking and meal prep for the family), and "kasur" (serving their partners in bed). Now times have seriously changed. Industrialization has turned women into a whole different kind of person. They're getting introduced to machines, books, and men who taught them how to work outside the home.

_{Sadly, women always seem to get the short end of the stick even in this post-industrial era. According to information I've acquired from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, women who held full-time occupations and received wages or salaries in 2021 made an average weekly wage that was 83% of what males in comparable positions made. This indicates that for performing the same work, women were paid 17% less than males. Image source from US Bureau of Labor Statistics}

This is consistent with findings from the same BLS research that show women have benefited from a longer-term trend in inflation-adjusted earnings than men in every category of educational attainment. Men's wages decreased by 22% between 1979 and 2021, while women's wages without a high school degree climbed by 4%. Women's inflation-adjusted earnings increased for workers with a bachelor's degree or above. For workers with a bachelor’s degree or higher, women's inflation-adjusted earnings went up by 38 percent since 1979, while men's earnings just 20 percent. For a clearer picture, you can check out the chart below:

_{Image source from BLS}

I reckon this ties into the growing significance of labor rights, particularly for female workers driven by heightened societal awareness. I also speculate that the feminist movement plays a part in advocating for awareness about the importance of gender equality. For instance, achieving equality in education is necessary as it is essential for entering the professional world. Even though there's still plenty of inequality women face, holding them back from being as proficient as men in technical jobs, the hope is that addressing gender-based inequalities will provide answers to these issues.

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Thank you for taking the time to read my post

Have a great day

El-Nailul