Quick Gender Round Up
The topic on all of our minds — and apparently the minds of the rest of the world, if the United Nations is indicative — is undoubtedly the war in Gaza. And as I began to explore in my previous post, there are many gender issues related to war generally, but now is not the best time to analyze them. There are too many lives at stake. Just one issue I would mention briefly: is there is a connection between Israel’s vastly improved PR and the fact that the person heading the PR campaign is a woman (who happens to be exceptionally competent)? It seems that the world has an easier time hearing about Israel’s need for self-defense when those tough messages come from a source that is not a rough-and-gruff soldier figure but rather a person assumed to be soft and nurturing. This is really fascinating example of the way in which entrenched gender stereotypes can work in our favor — “our” being the benefit of women and the benefit of Israel.
Here are a few other items of gender interest not related to war:
* Caroline Kennedy and Tzipi Livni. Caroline Kennedy’s recent announcement that she is seeking Hillary Clinton’s NY State Senate spot and her interview that followed unleashed a whole new wave of subtle and not-so-subtle sexism. She is assumed to be incompetent because she is not the go-getter, self-absorbed, bulldozer that most other politicians are. Maureen Dowd, in a wonderful essay in Kennedy’s defense, says about this, “Thank God.” There is an important parallel between Washington reaction to Kennedy and Likud’s reaction to Tzipi. Both are drenched with nuanced sexism, in which women are assumed to be inexperienced and incompetent compared to their male peers or, in some cases, politician family members. More importantly, the women, like so many others, are put down for not being as “ambitious” as men. It is an example of the terrible catch-22 that women face. When women want to create a better world, to bring kindness and compassion into politics and leadership, they are touted as being incompetent if they act on their beliefs (e.g., Kennedy), and hypocritical “like-men” if they effectively play the game (e.g., Hillary). Women are still in a no-win situation. I for one am keeping an eye on both Kennedy and Livni, because perhaps change is coming.
* Where are the women business leaders? In a business technology conference in Tel Aviv this week, it was noted that there are virtually no women in hi-tech leadership in Israel. Many people have theories about why this is true. I believe it’s because Israel’s entire culture is entrenched in gendered models of life that are supported by the formal governmental and bureaucratic systems, not to mention messages in schools, religious and state. There is exactly one Israeli religious woman who headed up a hi-tech initiative — Ester Hemli — and she talks about not only the lack of religious women but of women generally in those posts. Women are not encouraged at all in this direction — not educationally, economically, culturally, religiously or bureaucratically. What is needed is not only an entire shift in gender culture but also educational and governmental programs that encourage women in math, science, and business. The educational and cultural systems need to socialize women and girls in self-confidence, ingenuity, and risk-taking, all of which tend to be discouraged among girls and women. At the same time, there needs to be real support in terms of money, special programs, and broader changes infrastructural changes that provide for models for gender equity in the business world.
[Hat Tip: Joel Katz]
* Parenthood and the workplace. Speaking of changing gender paradigms at work, The New York Times ran a fascinating story this week, “Maternity Leave Alternative,” about how more and more women — yes, even entrepreneurs — are finding ways to bring their kids to work. On site day care is a vital long-term solution. Israel really needs to be taking note of such trends around the world.
* Shas and women. Finally, in a classic one-step-forward-two-steps-back that would be amusing if not so aggravating, Shas created a “Women’s headquarters“, an interesting move that ultimately reinforces some of the most troubling gender stereotypes out there. The good news is that Shas Chairman Eli Yishai believes that women have an important role in society. The bad news is that this role is to support the men making the real decisions, such as those in Knesset. The idea of a woman actually being a Knesset member or an independent-minded leader is not even a remote possibility. As Yishai told Ynet: [Hat tip: Joel Katz]
In today’s reality, we have no women looking for work in the Knesset and for all this mingling. They engage mostly in health, education, welfare, associations and schools. They are more interested in real day-to-day work, in saving the people for the people, and youth in particular, than in the Knesset.
Mingling, hmmm…. Once again the oversexualizing of women, the construction of women as bodies that men have to stay clear of, becomes the dominant feature of the rhetoric the keeps women at home. And the “day-to-day work” is a classic gendering of work stereotypes. Men are the “big thinkers” who can’t be bothered with “day to day” work — i.e., admin, changing diapers, and cooking dinner. Men are leaders and women are quiet, behind the scenes “day to day” types. It’s classic. This is gender hierarchy at its most basic.
As I said, one step forward and two steps back. Women, we still have a lot of work to do.
Shabbat Shalom.
