In this engaging conversation, historian Emily Callaci shares insights from her book on the Wages for Housework movement, emphasizing its relevance today. Professor Rosie Campbell discusses alarming trends in public attitudes towards feminism, particularly among young men. Writer Victoria Smith critiques the kindness trend, arguing it undermines women's roles. Together, they explore persistent household labor inequalities, generational shifts in gender perceptions, and the need for structural changes in social justice, urging continued advocacy rather than complacency.
The historical campaign for wages for housework emphasizes the systemic oppression of women through traditional notions of unpaid domestic labor.
Contemporary pressures for women to embody kindness may undermine feminist progress by enforcing passive roles that distract from addressing systemic inequalities.
Deep dives
The Legacy of Housework and Gender Inequality
The historical roots of the campaign for wages for housework emphasize that housework has been a significant site of women's systemic oppression within the capitalist framework. Studies indicate that despite considerable societal changes over the past five decades, traditional gender divisions in household labor persist, with women often taking on the majority of domestic responsibilities. Recent surveys show that even in dual-income households, women typically report spending four to eight more hours on housework compared to their male partners, exacerbating overall gender inequality. The movement's recognition of housework as labor critical to the economic system reveals the essential but often unacknowledged contributions of women, suggesting that addressing these inequalities could have far-reaching implications for societal transformation.
Kindness as a Double-Edged Sword
The expectation for women to embody kindness often reinforces traditional gender norms that dictate women's roles as caretakers, potentially undermining feminist progress. Victoria Smith argues that the well-meaning cultural push for kindness can be problematic, as it might lead to emotional labor and self-sacrifice without addressing the systemic inequalities women face. This pressure for women to be 'nice' fosters a belief that their value lies in their ability to serve others, thus perpetuating a cycle where their emotional and physical labor goes unrecognized. The notion that women's kindness is an inexhaustible resource can detract from the collective demands for structural change needed to achieve true gender equality.
Generational Divides in Attitudes Towards Feminism
Recent data reveals a worrying trend among younger generations, particularly Generation Z, where some young men show attitudes that are hostile to gender equality, reflecting similar views to those held by older men. This polarization creates a significant divide between the perspectives of young men and women, where young men often feel that gender equality initiatives overreach, while young women increasingly identify as feminist. Contributing factors to this divide include the impact of social media and influential figures promoting toxic masculinity, which can skew perceptions of gender roles and equality. Understanding these generational differences is crucial for developing effective strategies to advocate for gender equity that resonates with all demographics.
Intersectionality and the Feminist Movement
The feminist movement is not monolithic; it encompasses various perspectives that can sometimes clash, particularly regarding race and class. The Wages for Housework campaign presented a critical viewpoint that traditional feminist issues failed to address economic disparities rooted in unpaid domestic labor, arguing for a broader understanding of what constitutes work. Critics within feminism highlighted the need to consider the lived experiences of working-class women, as well as women of color, who often face compounded forms of oppression. Recognizing intersectionality within feminist discourse can facilitate more inclusive approaches that address the diverse needs and experiences of all women, enabling a more unified push toward gender equality.
From the early 1970s feminist activists from across the globe campaigned under a single demand – Wages for Housework. The historian Emily Callaci traces the lives and ideas of its key creators in her new book, Wages for Housework: The Story of a Movement, an Idea, a Promise. The campaign highlighted the need to change the way work, and especially what has been traditionally deemed women’s work, is valued.
Although men are still paid more than women, and women still play a greater role in the home, recent polling reveals that nearly half of Britons say women's equality has gone far enough. And that figure has been rising significantly in the last decade. Rosie Campbell, Professor of Politics at King’s College London also points out that a growing number of young men believe it will be harder to be a man than a woman in 20 years’ time.
So is it time for women to stop campaigning and #JustBeKind? Definitely not, according to the writer Victoria Smith. In her new book, UnKind, she unpicks the kindness trend that emerged in the 2020s, and argues that women and girls have again been coerced into a passive role.
Producer: Katy Hickman
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