Gender – Part 2
Shortly after my recent post on Gender: An Academic Question, two articles on gender appeared.
The first, and most important, was the Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything. The rather upbeat title stems from the fact that women now make up half the workforce, a percentage that will likely continue to grow. However, the report confirms our suspicion that “…while there’s much to cheer about, we still have a long way to go.”
“The academic research, anecdotal evidence, personal reflections, and poll results that make up this unique report all confirm that recognizing women now constitute half of the workers in the United States is only the first step. The second is identifying what we need to do to reshape the institutions around us. We can then begin to take the necessary actions to readjust our policies and practices…….. The ultimate goal is a more prosperous future for all women and men (my emphasis) in a nation that recognizes the unique value of each of us to contribute to the common good at work and at home.”
Easier said than done, but a lofty and necessary goal. Which brings me to the second article on gender. Fritz and I were pleased to see our Contemporary Models in Health Care Leadership course profiled in the most recent DMU magazine. As our students in the course confirmed, biases still exist against women today. For example, “a male medical student was shocked when female candidates were asked whether they were married and planned to have children in the next five years–illegal questions he was never asked.” Yet, men face many challenges too. “For example, the desire among young fathers to spend more time with their children than their fathers did may mean they’re not as willing or able to put in long hours on the job.”
The good news underlying both of these articles is this: workplace policies of equality, balance, and flexibility are no longer just women’s issues, but deeply affect BOTH men and women. Progress is slow but involving both genders to find collaborative solutions is the only way to go. We will continue to do our small part to keep the conversation going.
