NCJ Number
59119
Journal
BUSINESS AND SOCIETY REVIEW Dated: (SUMMER 1974) Pages: 71-77
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
WHEN MINORITIES AND WOMEN COMPETE FOR EMPLOYMENT GAINS, A COALITION CAN ENLARGE THE BENEFITS FOR BOTH. A SEMINAR STRATEGY WHICH CUTS THROUGH STEREOTYPES AND HELPS MINORITIES AND WOMEN WORK TOGETHER IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT (EOE) PROGRAMS WERE FIRST AIMED AT BLACK MALES, THEN WERE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OTHER MINORITIES, AND FINALLY WOMEN WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE EOE PROGRAM. THE HOSTILITIES AMONG THESE GROUPS OFTEN REACH EXPLOSIVE PROPORTIONS. A SEMINAR TO CUT THROUGH THESE HOSTILITIES STARTS WITH A SIMPLE DRAMATIZATION IN WHICH A RECEPTIONIST (USUALLY PLAYED BY A BLACK FEMALE) IS DENIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME AN ASSISTANT BUYER. IN THE RESPONSES OF THE BLACK WOMAN CAN BE SEEN THE TENSION BETWEEN RACIAL AND SEXUAL DISCRIMINATION. FURTHERMORE, ALL MINORITIES CLAIM WHITE WOMEN ARE RICH, WORKING JUST FOR AMUSEMENT. THE SEMINAR POINTS OUT THAT WOMEN ARE 50 PERCENT OF ALL GROUPS--50 PERCENT OF BLACKS, 50 PERCENT OF THE POOR, 50 PERCENT OF THE RICH. LABOR DEPARTMENT STATISTICS ON MEDIAN EARNINGS OF FULL-TIME, YEAR-ROUND WORKERS SHOW THE EFFECTS OF BOTH RACISM AND SEXISM WITH SEXISM PRODUCING THE DOMINANT DIVISION: WHITE MALES EARN A MEAN OF $10,918, BLACK MALES $7,373, WHITE FEMALES $6,172, AND BLACK FEMALES $5,280. IN ADDITION TO THE PRESSURES BROUGHT BY THE VARIOUS MINORITY GROUPS, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROGRAMS MUST FACE PRESSURES FOR COOPERATION FROM MANAGEMENT. THE ANSWER TO THESE PRESSURES IS COALITION. IT IS ONLY BY WORKING TOGETHER THAT ALL GROUPS CAN SHARE EMPLOYMENT GAINS. STEPS THE SEMINAR USES TO BRING ABOUT ATTITUDE CHANGE AND FOSTER A SPIRIT OF COALITION ARE DETAILED.