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by Carri Anne Yager
Do you ever get the feeling Big Brother is moving in on us? Recently I was watching a news program. It introduced one segment with the message that women work as hard, fast and long as men but get paid less for the same services. I turned up the volume, expecting them to make useful suggestions, such as how to discuss money while being interviewed for a job or asking for a raise. Instead they proceeded to tell the story of a woman who chose to do something about it. She sought help from a consultant: a man who categorized women into three groups. The first category believes in the "noble poverty" myth (which dictates that people who work for less dollars are favored in the eyes of God). The second believes in a Prince Charming myth (which dictates that they will be rescued by a man). The third category consists of women who believe themselves the equals of men. To illustrate this point, the program showed women sitting together around three buckets representing each category. The first two buckets contained one or two dollars while the third bucket was brimming with money. The woman featured in the story, who didn't want to be a victim of unfair treatment in the workplace, solved her problem by taking the male consultant's advice. She declared herself a man's equal and became self-employed in order to ensure that she would be paid justly for her work.
Luckily, digital television allowed me to rewind this conundrum. I added up the parts, piece by piece, to see if I were crazy or if indeed it contradicted itself. Clearly it began by pointing out a double standard supported by numerical facts and figures. Then it did a 360 which pointed the finger at female employees, completely overlooking (ignoring?) the fact that employers must play a role in this problem.
Where this double standard continues, it will affect all kinds of women regardless of their own beliefs. It will, in fact, perpetuate these mythical beliefs. Especially if the media publicly states that this is justified. If women observe (accurately) that their contributions in the workplace are considered less valuable than those of men, some may continue to believe that their primary worth is derived from their roles as homemakers and life-givers. Am I the only person who knows single mothers who work constantly yet still can't make ends meet, while there are also women who can afford to stay at home with their children because of their husbands' incomes? Personally, I respect both of these described types of women but this is irrelevant to the undeniable fact that there is pragmatic evidence for the Prince Charming myth.
In addition to the paradoxical verbal statements made in the segment, I was intrigued by the visual images of the women sitting around the buckets demonstrating their acceptance of this theory while a bemused looking female reporter told the story. I pictured her tearing up the papers of news, throwing the pieces at the camera and storming out to start a business of her own. Then I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if a group of men were asked to present themselves on television, sitting around a table, staring ahead as though divining their futures through three buckets that summed up their world-views in simple terms. Perhaps the women who participated in this spectacle should have begun their journey toward equality by taking an example from any self-respecting man and saying, "Piss off."
This particular news segment is only one example of hypocritical, pro-establishment crapola found in much of today's journalism. So many articles lately conclude with a disconcertingly universal message: If you have a problem, it's your fault. It is my understanding that it is the job of writers (journalists and/or otherwise) to seek truth, explore possibilities and challenge people to think. How can one accomplish this without questioning authority? I decided it was time to quit my bitching and do something about it. Thus, the birth of this new column, From the Underside, a place for the pissed off and sick of it all.
Oh and by the way, if you have any questions, ask your doctor.
