Thoughts

Stratifying by Sex is a commentary on both the historical and the present day position of women in society. She comments on how there has been a socio-economic trend, which has, with some exceptions such as post WWII, which she cites, that has brought women into the workplace in increasing numbers. Despite such ideas of progress, Kessler-Harris believes that women have not transcended their traditional role as homemakers, and that this difference in a sort of Aristotelian teleological excellence has resulted in the stratification of society along sex lines. Toward the end of the essay, however, she admits that this reality might be changing, but instead postulates that times are changing somewhat, and that this will result in a move to stratification along race and class lines. Although she clearly presents a full set of statistics to prove her point, I believe that her underlying assumption – that a woman’s role in the family is a bad thing – to be false. Additionally, I don’t see the differences in what is considered accomplishment for men and women as being as a result of the role society has imposed on women, but instead as at least in part a product of their different nature. But perhaps I am a product of a patriarchal society, and this is why I say this.