International Women's Day

Two days into my new work schedule and it is kicking my butt, I went from opening pretty much all the time to closing instead, plus my days off changed in such a way as I only got one this week. I'll be fine and I will probably actually make more money this way, but it's taking a minute to get used to.
This was supposed to go up last night, but I kept falling asleep while writing.

Today was International Women's Day, seems unfair that a group consisting of a little more than half the population of the entire world only gets one day, but here we are.

It was also supposed to be a Day Without Women, when they strike to show how large of a part they play in the economy and workplace. Now I am all in favor of strikes and protest, anything that makes the public at large uncomfortable and aware of an issue is okay by me, but I think it is pretty clear that the only women who didn't go to work today are those who could afford not to right? I mean, as an expression of privilege, the ability to choose not to work to make your point has to be pretty far up there.

Let's look at where I work, there is a woman there who is in the same management position I am in, she trained me in fact and has been there for something like five years now.

I make more than she does.

Not a little more either, like a couple dollars an hour more, and I started at that wage, I didn't earn a merit based raise or anything. She works overtime hours every week because she has to, she has bills like the rest of us, plus a child to care for. She can't afford to take a day off to protest.

There is another girl, maybe seventeen, working here is her first job. she is saving for school, wants to own her own business one day. She has no job security, if she calls in to attend a protest there is every possibility she won't have a job to come back to, and even if she does, she can expect to get an earful about it regardless.

There are a couple others, one older than me and the other rather younger, both smart and competent, easily able to do my job if asked. Both of them are waiting to be asked because they don't feel like it is appropriate to put themselves forward. Meanwhile both of them work every shift they can and pick up hours whenever called upon, because that is what you do when you have no job security, the idea of purposefully dropping a shift to prove the point of "you need me" is dangerous to them, because there is a great chance that the boss will say "No I don't".

And my place of business is one of the less abusive employers I have worked for.

So being able to take that risk of losing your job is an an act of incredible bravery  or a sign of privilege. Which is fine in a lot of ways, this protest could have been a good way for feminist allies with privilege to say "I am here for all those who can't be". To begin, or enhance, discussion and bring the issue to the public eye. To use their ability to strike without consequence to shine a light on all of those who cannot.

But that didn't happen, as as far as I can tell, it was never even part of the discussion except from people asking "why didn't we talk about this?" So I feel it was kind of a missed opportunity there.

I wouldn't say the idea wasn't worthy, but without acknowledging the reality of the situation it was never going to be able to make the point the organizers intended.