The Nation: Are Women Really Victors in the New Economy?

Gender Campaign (Photo credit: EU Social)

Do women really have an edge in the new economy?


 Nation contributor Bryce Covert writes a fantastic piece on this issue.   It's a direct response to Hanna Rosin in the Atlantic (and others) who have argued that the recent "mancession" presages a new economy in which women's skills and talents are prized over men's.

Bryce marshals the data and finds that while more women than men are employed in growing sectors like health care and retail, the jobs they have there are grueling, wages are low, and benefits are few.  Even though they dominate those industries, few women have moved into executive offices. And once women in any industry have children, the wage gap opens back up.

Click here to read more.

Related articles

• The Rise of Women - Hanna Rosin Discusses the Inclination of Successful Females (TrendHunter.com) (trendhunter.com)
• Women do better than men as 'mancession' hits (telegraph.co.uk)
• The Wage Gap: Why Men Earn More (businessweek.com)

Women & Diversity at OWS

Reporter, Sarah Seltzer, spent five days observing working group meetings, sitting in on GAs, and interviewing women on their role in the movement, sexism they've experienced and how the movement has dealt with it and the issue of diversity and inclusion. It's really strong original reporting on an issue that hasn't gotten the attention it deserves. To read more about it, click here.

Nation's Katha Pollitt on How Budget Cuts Affect Women

In light of what's happening in Washington DC this week with a looming government showdown and the proposed GOP budget calling for dramatic cuts, as well as what's taking place around the country as states brace for dramatic cuts to public services, Nation Columnist Katha Pollitt examines how these proposed cuts will adversely impact women.

In the piece, Pollitt addresses:

-A huge proportion of working women are employed by government or government contractors, in areas that are facing the most dramatic cuts: education, health care, social services, libraries, legal aid and office work.

--In New York, Governor Andrew Cuomo's plan to cut $300 millions in human services, which would adversely affect women by cutting domestic violence programs and summer youth employment programs; defund 105 New York City senior centers; cut $7 million in childcare services for welfare recipients; eliminate transitional jobs programs and childcare for low-income college students; and reduce funding for after-school programs as well as the Nurse-Family Partnership home visiting program.

Related articles

• Obama calls budget talks as shutdown looms (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Boehner: No deal on budget after Obama meeting (cbsnews.com)

This Week at The Nation: The Attack on Women

Just posted at TheNation.com and on newsstands this weekend:

This week, Melissa Harris-Perry, in "The War on Women's Future," discusses the well coordinated attack on women as legislation in Washington moves to eliminate federal funding of Planned Parenthood. The ultimate aim of the GOP's social agenda, Harris-Perry argues, would be to force women back into the home. Read her column here. 

Former MoveOn Advocacy Director Ilyse Hogue, in "Why the Right Attacked Unions, ACORN and Planned Parenthood," connects the dots in the assault against progressive service organizations. These few remaining organizations, she argues, connect real word needs to Beltway advocacy and lobbying. Conservatives fear and loathe that. Read it here. 

And columnist Katha Pollitt, in "Anti-Choice Follies," discusses bills underway in eight states that would restrict abortions. In three states--South Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa--legislation would in effect permit a pregnant woman's family or friends to murder abortion providers. Read it here.