Nerd is my Gender
What's yours?
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America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves. To quote the American humorist Kin Hubbard, ‘It ain’t no disgrace to be poor, but it might as well be.’ It is in fact a crime for an American to be poor, even though America is a nation of poor. Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power and gold. No such tales are told by the American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters. The meanest eating or drinking establishment, owned by a man who is himself poor, is very likely to have a sign on its wall asking this cruel question: ‘if you’re so smart, why ain’t you rich?’ There will also be an American flag no larger than a child’s hand – glued to a lollipop stick and flying from the cash register. Americans, like human beings everywhere, believe many things that are obviously untrue. Their most destructive untruth is that it is very easy for any American to make money. They will not acknowledge how in fact hard money is to come by, and, therefore, those who have no money blame and blame and blame themselves. This inward blame has been a treasure for the rich and powerful, who have had to do less for their poor, publicly and privately, than any other ruling class since, say Napoleonic times. Many novelties have come from America. The most startling of these, a thing without precedent, is a mass of undignified poor. They do not love one another because they do not love themselves.
—Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five
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Sometimes I feel the same way, like everyone but myself has an amazing job which must mean they’re amazing people.
Partial transcript:
White woman with short blond hair and blue eyes: Y’know, we’re not defined by our jobs. If I told you what I do for a living, I’ll bet you’d agree.
Black woman with black pulled-back hair and dark eyes: What do you do for a living?
Jump to shot of white woman in office setting, holding stick which reads “Heads Up!”: Your patients suffering from erectile dysfunction are gonna LOVE Heads Up!
(via GWS #1174)
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81. I’ve been disappointed with most of my custom suits from Brooks Brothers. I gave them to charity.
Giving suits to charity is actually very useful. It helps poor people get better jobs, so they can possibly afford their own suits some day. It’s sad that the clothes make the employment opportunity, but that’s the way it works.
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The week of Thanksgiving, several employees at two hotels owned by the St Louis Roberts Brothers say they are without paychecks.
It’s true. I live with such an employee, and times are tough around here. He wasn’t one of the informants, because he’s afraid of being identified and losing his job, but it looks like he’s not the only one with such fears:
An employee called News 4 Tuesday afternoon, saying some fellow employees were going without medication, or wouldn’t be able to afford Thanksgiving meals because their most recent paychecks are several days late.
We went to two hotels to talk to employees. Two, contacted by phone, who work at the Comfort Inn on Lindell Boulevard in the Central West End say they were supposed to be paid November 15th. By November 22nd, there were still no checks. They say it’s happened nearly every pay period for the last several months.
Two other employees at the Mayfair downtown gave a similar story. One employee, when approached, said he didn’t want to give detail - but he couldn’t say he was paid on-time. Another employee, off camera, said he doesn’t remember ever getting paid on time in the six or seven months he’s worked for the company.
All say they fear going public with their complaints because they worry about losing their jobs.
“I don’t want to lose my job. At least I’m getting a check. Yeah, it’s not on time. It runs a week to two weeks late, but we do get it. But, it’s difficult to find work,” said an employee.
Complaints to the state don’t yield many results, according to an employee.
The Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations says the Roberts Brothers don’t have any violations. The state can fine a company for paying employees 16 days late (if those employees are paid semi-monthly).
When asked, the employees News 4 spoke to said they are always paid before the 16 days.
This week, they say they’re struggling with the holidays coming up.“I have some friends of mine who can’t go out of town because they don’t have any money. They can’t put food on the tables for their families for Thanksgiving.”
A call to the Roberts Brothers office was not returned on Tuesday afternoon. News 4 went to the office on North Kingshighway, but the front doors were locked. A receptionist said the company would not comment. She refused to take a message. News 4 saw her hide under a desk when she saw a news camera through the glass doors.
As of Tuesday night, it’s unclear why the checks are late and when employees will be paid.
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![Something tells me they’re not equal-opportunity employers.
[2 signs. One in English requesting a hostess. One in Spanish requesting two dish washers.]
(via Gendering and Racializing Occupations)](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvwmo90Fed1qgm6edo1_250.jpg)
Something tells me they’re not equal-opportunity employers.
[2 signs. One in English requesting a hostess. One in Spanish requesting two dish washers.]
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Filed Under: Duh
This isn’t new, but it bears repeating: women are not to blame for themselves being paid less than men.
It TURNS OUT that women actually do ask to be appropriately compensated and promoted, but FOR SOME REASON we just don’t get that for which we’re asking—and, not only that, but “the gender gap in level and pay gets even wider” as the careers of men and women on the same track progress.
![I'll take the patriarchy for $200, Alex. [Man playing Jeopardy!]](http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/shakespeares_sister/reusables/blitzerthepatriarchy.jpg)
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Mo. Legislative Black Caucus opposing workplace discrimination bills
Missouri is trying to relax workplace discrimination laws. You know, because racism has been dead for 50 years, yo! How could this possibly go wrong?
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Muslim Women
Someone shared this link as proof that Islam gives rights to women. I am not arguing whether at one point in time Islam increased rights for women. But clearly we as a society have have evolved past the rights described in the link. For example, here are 6 rules listed which dictate women’s employment opportunities:
1. Outside employment should not come before, or seriously interfere with her responsibilities as wife and mother.
Each family should make the choice for themselves how they will balance work and childcare, and women shouldn’t be the default care taker.
2. Her work should not be a source of friction within the family, and the husband’s consent is required in order to eliminate later disagreements. If she is not married, she must have her guardian’s consent.
A woman is justified in making her own career decisions without seeking permission from another person. She of course may ask her family what their preference is, just as a man would who loves and cares for others, but her life is not by force of rule lived at the mercy of another.
3. Her appearance, manner and tone of speech and overall behavior should follow Islamic guidelines. These include: restraining her glances in relation to any men near the work place, wearing correct Islamic dress, avoiding men, not walking in a provocative manner, and not using make-up or perfume in public.
A woman may dress in a way which brings her greatest comfort and confidence int he workplace, and should not need seek to serve the sexual insecurities of male co-workers.
4. Her job should not be one which causes moral corruption in society, or involve any prohibited trade or activity, affect her own religion, morals, dignity and good behavior, or subject her to temptations.
All people, women included, should operate according to the dictates of their on conscience.
5. Her job should not be one which is mixing and associating with men.
Women should be allowed to circulate freely in any space which any other human being is allowed to circulate. No gender should be allowed to bully any other gender out of a workplace.
6. A woman should try to seek employment in positions which require a woman’s special skills, or which relate to the needs of women and children, such as teaching, nursing other women, midwifery, medicine with specialization’s like pediatric or obstetrics-gynecology.
Any special skill possessed by a woman is a “woman’s special skill” by virtue of that woman possessing it. Therefore, women may be assured that any career path whatsoever is one which is suited to their skills.
Genderqueer with a touch of happy humanism.
