Gender Through the Prism of DifferenceGender Through the Prism of Difference

Chapter SixChapter Six

Constructing Gender at Work PlaceConstructing Gender at Work Place

1- How gender affects one’s status at work?1- How gender affects one’s status at work? 2- Does feminization of paid labor place women on equal footing with men?2- Does feminization of paid labor place women on equal footing with men? 3- Is paid labor another arena to intensify female disadvantages?3- Is paid labor another arena to intensify female disadvantages? 4- Does it intensify some women’s disadvantages more than others?4- Does it intensify some women’s disadvantages more than others? 5- Why gender inequality is a pervasive feature of workplace?5- Why gender inequality is a pervasive feature of workplace? 6- Is gender built into workplace? Or is it an outcome of difference between 6- Is gender built into workplace? Or is it an outcome of difference between

men and women? Their socialization? Or through behavior and interaction?men and women? Their socialization? Or through behavior and interaction? 7- Societal gender, race, class, sexuality, immigrant status, all shape work 7- Societal gender, race, class, sexuality, immigrant status, all shape work

experience of different group?experience of different group? 8- In global work market whatever worker does at home or public place, he or 8- In global work market whatever worker does at home or public place, he or

she very likely work at a job assigned basis of gender!she very likely work at a job assigned basis of gender! 9- Men’s job, women’s job are constructed with different characteristics, 9- Men’s job, women’s job are constructed with different characteristics,

seldom do men and women do same work for same pay at same place? Women seldom do men and women do same work for same pay at same place? Women around the world earn less than men in same occupation and same level of around the world earn less than men in same occupation and same level of education?education?

10- How is this inequality maintained?10- How is this inequality maintained?

11- Gender constitutes work experience and power 11- Gender constitutes work experience and power systems, gender, race, immigrant groups become systems, gender, race, immigrant groups become clustered in certain kinds of work? clustered in certain kinds of work?

Job opportunities depend on who the workers are, Job opportunities depend on who the workers are, race, age, class, sex orientation, education, and race, age, class, sex orientation, education, and immigrant status rather than their skills and immigrant status rather than their skills and talents?talents?

These higherarchies define what acceptable These higherarchies define what acceptable behavior on the job such as sexual harassment behavior on the job such as sexual harassment depends on who is the perpetrator and who is the depends on who is the perpetrator and who is the victim? victim?

Gendering the Market: example the Stock Market Trade Gendering the Market: example the Stock Market Trade ExchangeExchange

Temporality, work, and gender on a National Future Exchange in Temporality, work, and gender on a National Future Exchange in Global Markets; gender and commodity markets are organized Global Markets; gender and commodity markets are organized temporarily.temporarily.

Gender is not equality inherent to individuals rather it consists of Gender is not equality inherent to individuals rather it consists of socially produced and hierarchically organized relations between men socially produced and hierarchically organized relations between men and women.and women.

Gendered interpretations takes place within work place, managerial Gendered interpretations takes place within work place, managerial subjectivity and strategies.subjectivity and strategies.

The temporal shifts in market activities shape the ways men and The temporal shifts in market activities shape the ways men and women understand what constitute gender.women understand what constitute gender.

Work Floor operates within two gender strategies: one of the Work Floor operates within two gender strategies: one of the competence and other of sexuality.competence and other of sexuality.

The competence language defines trading floor as gendered neutral The competence language defines trading floor as gendered neutral even while it privileges a particular form of dominant masculinity.even while it privileges a particular form of dominant masculinity.

During slower times, gender remerges in a more overtly sexualized During slower times, gender remerges in a more overtly sexualized form.form.

These two strategies can shift abruptly; men on the floor refer to These two strategies can shift abruptly; men on the floor refer to women’s bodies as suitable for objectification and unsuitable for women’s bodies as suitable for objectification and unsuitable for handling the physicality of the market and the next.handling the physicality of the market and the next.

At work: gender as competenceAt work: gender as competence At slow time (play): gender as sexualized differenceAt slow time (play): gender as sexualized difference Hence, gender operates differently according to the temporal Hence, gender operates differently according to the temporal

rhythmus of the marketrhythmus of the market When the market is less active it operates overtly sexualized mode When the market is less active it operates overtly sexualized mode

using sexual jokes to past time and relief tension, but a direct result of using sexual jokes to past time and relief tension, but a direct result of men’s banter is gain group solidarity among men to the exclusion of men’s banter is gain group solidarity among men to the exclusion of womenwomen

Consequently gender changes dramatically Consequently gender changes dramatically according to the pace of workaccording to the pace of work