Crittenden and Mainardi Responses

I wanted to begin my post with saying that I didn't really appreciate the "mommy tax" chapter from Crittenden. While i found it interesting that women would site that certain (i.e. young women without children) made 98 cents to a man's dollar, i was offended when she claimed that men were unencumbered by family preoccupation at work. While they may not have the sole responsibility of raising a family, i think it is presumptive and unfair to assert that only women are left to think about family while in the workplace. Although i am sure that this could be true to some extent, i think making such a wide-sweeping generalization is dangerous and may only propel the misconception that a man shouldn't have a major role in raising and caring for a family. By making claims such as this i think it only goes to further solidify the gender roles that men belong only in the workplace while women (although they now can moonlight in a job outside the home) are mainly responsible for domestic responsibilities.

I also just didnt generally like her notion of a "mommy tax!" I understand that by leaving one's job to raise a child you are leaving a salary, but i dont think it is fair to make the claim that it can be considered losing those wages or the price of being a mother. However, i was very interested in her claims that working mothers make so much less than their non-mother and male counterparts! I think it is an interesting fact of life to begin to question, and something that i think should be changed.

I did REALLY enjoy the Pat Mainardi passage though! I thought it was funny and thought-provoking. I especially appreciated when she brought up how women seemed to be conditioned by the women on TV to be preoccupied with shiny floors and pristine homes, whereas men had no such conditioning! I also enjoyed how she joked about how men seemed repulsed by the idea of doing such housework! I thought she combined a powerful and serious message in an jocular tone perfectly! She was a breath of fresh air regarding a topic that is very important to discuss and make changes! It makes me wonder that if housework was for wages, as Marirossa Dalla Costa urges, if men would then be willing to lend a hand, or if it would remain as unsavory women's work ... !