Women and Work

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198609/women-work-force

Written in 1986 by a male journalist George Guilder, this article records the statistics of working women in America. The article talks of a sexual revolution where women are seeping into a male dominated work force, whereas in previous years women, especially married women, tended to go with tradition and work on the farms so as to work near and around their families. The article seems to give alot of the facts about the feminist struggle for equality in work and it is written in a way that it seems the author believes in a womans right to work and conquer new heights. Then Guilder compares the statistics of spending between the sexes and the correlation between the amount of time they work. Highly paid men apparently spent more of their income and so had to work more to cover the expenses incurred. Whereas highly paid women spent less so worked less and apparently didnt need as high wages as the men to live. The statistics that this study was based on were taken from the 1970s before the typical working career girl of the 1980s had appeared in American society. So although Guilder records the increase of female workers in all areas, the data used for their reasonings to work was out of date and not completely in fitting with that modern American woman of the day.

The twentieth century American working woman can be shown in a more direct way.

The Proposal was a 2009 film featuring a career woman in New York City. Her sense of dress is very conservative in that most of her skin is covered, however the suit looks painted on her it is so tight and her shoes are Louboutons, one of the most expensive designer shoes which reveal a red sole when walking, that apparently add a slice of sex appeal to a womans walk. The fact that she owns a pair of such sought after shoes, indicates that her income is substantially higher than alot of Americans, be they male or female. Her tailored suit also suggests the same thing, as does her perfect hair and make-up. The suit is also the latest trend in American women business circles, with the waist belt defining her miniscule waist and elongating her perfect legs. The picture shows a very domineering woman with alot of confidence and authority. For it appears she has taken the traditionally male role of marriage, and work for she is infact the boss of the male in question. A reversal of the roles as it were. The sentence underneath the main title of the film is " Here comes the bribe.." suggesting that the female has infact taken over even more of the male world for she is now even thinking like a man of previous years, who does what he has to in order to get what he wants, without using sexual advances and female whiles.

The picture engages feminism today as it shows the aquired authority of todays females but also sets them apart from the men by use of clothing and make-up. Although a woman can be powerful they are also set distinctly apart from the males of society, seeming to suggest that women and men are very different but can do very similar or the same types of jobs. Equality, almost... Women are still seen as Sirens by some, just by what they choose to wear.