An introduction to a new series in the Modern College Woman
Have we arrived?
Last year we mourned Susan Jacobson, a member of Bowdoin’s class of 1971 and the College’s first female graduate. Jacobson was a pioneer for every woman on Bowdoin’s campus.
Of all the conditions that we could take for granted at Bowdoin, let’s not let our mere presence here be one of them.
I cannot even begin to imagine the isolation and pressure Jacobson must have felt, even as she experienced all the great things higher education has to offer. To forget that the work she put in to Bowdoin was social and not purely academic blinds us to gender barriers we have yet to traverse in our generation.
As I write this Yale University is undergoing investigation for violations of Title IX. It is alleged that they have failed to address instances of sexual misconduct and harassment on campus, thereby creating an institution that is not equal opportunity.
I am beginning to understand why feminists of previous generations bristle at young women who say we are post-feminism, in other words “we’ve arrived.” This is not a battle of semantics – some may want to throw out the term “feminism” to include advocacy for a broader spectrum of gender expressions. Labels aside, the battle for gender equality is far from over.
To say that we have arrived is a throwback to 1492 when Christopher Columbus stepped off his ship in North America and proclaimed, “Hola India!” That’s just not right.
Until we’re in the place we intend to be in, keep the tags on that “Mission Accomplished” banner.
“Mission Accomplished?” Huffingtonpost.com
This series of articles will examine obstacles to women’s progress in career fields, focusing on the field of business.
As MCW, we may not have formally launched our careers, but whether we realize it or not our gender precedes us. It affected the way that Bowdoin Admissions looked at our applications, it affected the topics that we were exposed to growing up that would later become academic passions, and it affects the ways we view and present ourselves in the job market.
I talked with Charlotte, a member of Bowdoin Women in Business (BWIB). Charlotte’s interest lies in entrepreneurship, a field in which the dynamics are completely different from that of finance.
She says, “When you go into the finance sector there is a huge male dominance… women should have a presence – they should be on boards, they should be on committees, you think that it’s not relevant but then you look at the stats…”
Charlotte feels that gender does not play as great a role in entrepreneurship, at least in terms of determining business directions and promotions. In fact, as the proportion of women in the financial sector is decreasing, the number of female entrepreneurs is rapidly increasing.
I had the privilege of talking with Wendy Rose, the Senior Microenterprise Coordinator for Maine Centers for Women, Work, and Community (WWC). Wendy works with low income women and welfare recipients who are interested in started or maintaining a business to support their families. WWC provides education on topics pertaining to business start- up and expansion. Wendy also works with women one on one to develop their business models.
WWC works closely with the Maine Women’s Lobby (MWL), steering policies that affect women and families directly.
Wendy explains past involvement with the issue of pay inequity, an issue that took center stage in the late 90’s.
“Advocates discovered that rules had never been implemented which would help any woman bringing a suit against an employer. Once Laura Fortman (former MWL director) became the head of the Maine Department of Labor, these rules were implemented.”
Every year the Maine Growth Council issues a document assessing the state’s progress towards “achieving a vibrant and sustainable economy for Maine.”
After the inclusion of pay equity as an indicator of progress, the discrepancy in pay became much more visible.
“In the 2010 report, it showed the statistics from 2008. Maine women were earning 79.6% of the salaries that men earned for full-time, full-year work. The national statistic is 77.6%,” shares Wendy.
Laura Fortman, employmentforme.com
Hopefully, in engaging with these issues we can correctly identify the shores of gender inequity.