Blog #33

The two women lawyers from New York set an excellent example that women can be successful and run and own their own practice so that they have the control to create and set their own schedule-something that is unlikely in the big law firms. Although they admit that they have taken a significant pay cut (it seems to be a trend for women when seeking flexibility) to them, the flexibility and independence is priceless. By having created their very own law firm run by women is a figurative form of breaking the glass ceiling because as they indicated, their colleagues thought they were crazy. I think that more women will be inclined and encouraged to own and operate their own firms and thus set a pathway for successful and flexible opportunities for other women. Since the 1980’s more and more women are entering the workplace and slowly closing in on the gender gap with 47% percent of the workforce consisting of women. However, sadly women still hold less positions of power and they make less than their male counterparts. The reasons for women staying behind are echoed throughout the readings and videos: women gravitate to employment that is less risky and more flexible and they make less because they take more time off than men particularly for child bearing. It seems to me that it is discriminatory as the work that women do at home which is often a second shift goes unpaid!
Furthermore, women like Hilary Clinton, Sara Palin and Michelle Obama have made it clear it is okay for women to step out of their expected gender role and be successful. As seen previously in the videos, the country has come to terms that it is possible that a woman president will be elected soon. Michelle Obama for example, has been repeatedly criticized for her style and her choice of wardrobe and what is important to highlight is that she is not backing down nor is she allowing expectations that were set for her decades if not centuries ago to run her life and by having her set her foot down, she is in essence giving the power back to women and for that she should be commended!