Dr. Emily Callaci: Wages for Housework

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Emily Callaci discuss the Wages for Housework movement, highlighting the 1970s campaign demanding payment for unpaid labor in the home or “housework”. Dr. Callaci explains the movement's relevance today, noting that women's unpaid work has significant economic consequences. The conversation explores the historical context, the five key figures behind the movement, and the economic and cultural implications of unpaid housework. Callaci emphasizes the need for recognition of and payment for housework to address gender inequality and improve women's autonomy and economic well-being.

 

 Key Takeaways:

• A recent statistic from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows women's unpaid work in the US has a value of about $3.6 trillion.

• The economy would grind to a halt without the housework that is, primarily, done by women: cooking, cleaning, laundry, child-rearing, etc. 

• The wages for housework movement are not gendered; they equally affect men and women who do housework. 

• Recognizing the work that people do, paid and unpaid, is the first step in really transforming the social consciousness.

 

"Wages for housework was not arguing that we should all become housewives and that should be our profession instead of the other things we might want to do. Rather, it was about recognizing the way that work is exploited. In our economic system, if you don't recognize it, if you don't see it and name it, then how can you overcome it?" —  Dr. Emily Callaci

 

Connect with Dr. Emily Callaci:

Professional Bio: https://history.wisc.edu/people/callaci-emily/  

Books:

Street Archives and City Life: https://www.dukeupress.edu/street-archives-and-city-life 

Wages for Housework: penguin.co.uk/books/442807/wages-for-housework-by-callaci-emily/9780241502907 

 

Connect with Therese:

Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net

Threads: @critically_speaking

Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net

 

 

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