Blog #14

Britton used the theory of gendered organization to frame her research questions on occupational segregation both in general, and in the prison system. This theory provides separate levels which are structure, culture, and agency. These three different levels are thought of in a gendered separation. There is no organization that is gender neutral or that may presume as gender neutral, however, most organization are based on assumptions of gender segregation. These organizations effect jobs, careers in mind, and possible practices of organizations. Britton questions why this segregation is so persistent in both the public and the private sphere. Britton (2003) states “organizations are gendered at the level of structure” (7). She believs that when in the public sphere the women are given benefits such as maternity leave and child care. Employers are usually more tolerant with the tasks that women are given even if they do spill over into the duties of the private sphere. She believes that jobs are based on notions of gender and the importance of reproduction. She wants to know why women are being paid less than men even if they are in the same professional. She also has noticed that when women are in a male-dominant profession, the women still do the duties of a woman if possible, they will “conform to the requisites of femininity” (Britton, 18). Men usually have a corporate ladder that they will be able to climb as the years go on, whereas, women do not have the capability to climb that corporate ladder because of the jobs they have or the duties they are set in, because there is no real leader.

Women have not had the pleasure to be able to separate work from home whereas, men have that joy because they are not expected to look after the kids and cook dinner then go to work all in one day. Women have been expected to do everything in the household so the man can go to work to make the money but society has changed but the gender structure has not. When women joined the work force they were still expected to go above and beyond to hold the household down and make money.