(bi)weekly biz

In class this week, we discussed the gender inequities faced by women today. On social media, we are often surrounded by people who tell us that men and women have reached equality in America. One of the most prominent arguments against this is the wage gap between men and women. According to the American Association of University Women , women who work full-time make up only 84% of what men earn per year. Some argue that this is because women choose lower-paying jobs, but this is not the case. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, women were only permitted to work in factories that paid little money. The smartest and most notable working women became teachers, a job that paid more than factory work, but still paid less than the typical man's job. This is often used as an example to explain the disproportionately small amount that teachers are paid today.  Nursing, a now female-dominated job, used to be heavily male-dominated. Once women were allowed to become more active in the wo...

When I was young, I always wanted a Barbie. Every friend around me had one, so when I would visit their houses, I would love playing with her hair, dressing her up, and doing her make-up. I begged my parents to buy one for me, but they never would.  So, before I turned 7, I asked my grandparents to buy me one for my birthday. Yet, my parents also intercepted that before they could buy it for me. Instead, I received a large dollhouse full of dolls of all ages, all skin tones, and dolls with disabilities. While I enjoyed playing with them, I still longed for a Barbie. I wanted a doll who looked like the women I saw in the movies with their perfect proportions and light skin. Even though my parents tried to keep me away from her, I couldn't help but start wanting to look like her.  In hindsight, I'm glad I never got a Barbie when I was younger - who knows how that could have affected my self-esteem? Yet, when I grew older, I never stopped questioning why I wanted a Barbie so badl...

When I was young, my grandma would always ask me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Every time she asked, I would have a different response - astronaut, firefighter, detective, actress, artist. Yet, when I was eleven, she asked me like she always did and I replied "Teacher!" This time, however, she looked at me disapprovingly and said "You are old enough to start thinking about what you actually want to do, like a real job. Have you thought about being a doctor like your Mama?" It was the first time I had been told that my dream wasn't good enough - little did I know that I would be faced with the same dismissal in my life. I am told - you "must" become a doctor, engineer, or researcher lest you let down everyone around you. Teaching is a job for the "stupid people who couldn't get into any other field." And teaching in an urban underserved district? How stupid can you be? You can get yourself killed! And your family - ...