A Non-Extremist Approach to Feminism & Women

With the recent passage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, women all over the United States are renewing their commitment to issues related to women in the workplace and those who work from home.

For more than forty years, women have been entering the workplace in large numbers. In 1950, about one in every three women worked outside the home; by 1998, that number had risen to nearly three out of five. In 1999, the job-search rate was almost equal between men and women.

Women have faced sexual discrimination, lower wages, lack of training, and sexual harassment in the workplace. There are many organizations devoted to improved working conditions for women.

One of the most difficult problems women in the workplace face is the balance between work and family. In the 1960s women spent approximately 32 hours per week on housework, compared to 19 hours per week in 1995.

One way women have solved this dilemma is through self-employment. More women are working from home, telecommuting, or starting their own at-home business. A study by Tami Gurley-Calvez, Katherine Harper, and Amelia Biehl has found that self-employed women spend more time with children and on family activities that their counterparts who work outside the home.

In the 1990s, Pat Cobe and Ellen Parlapiano coined the term “Mompreneurs” to describe self-employed women with families. They have over 25 years of work-from-home experience and write and lecture on time management topics, helping women balance work and family life. There are many other publications and forums available for women who work:

There is no doubt that women in the workplace have fostered economic growth in the United States for several decades, and their contributions will continue to change the face of entrepreneurship. Participation in these and other organizations will improve the workplace for all women, and help balance work and family life for everyone.