Disposable Women and Other Myths of Global Capitalism

1. Disposable Women and Other Myths of Global Capitalism

2. What is a Myth • Myth is a story that provide lessons of “truth” using symbolism and drama • “a socially useful lie” that allows political situations to go unchallenged • “power is naturalized” and therefore beyond human intervention OR responsibility

3. Basics of the Myth • Subject- woman in “third world locale” who represents “human disposability” and “a living state of worthlessness” • Becomes a form of industrial waste even as she makes useful products • This is a natural phenomenon.

4. Uses of the Myth • Identify disposable women and what can be expected of them • Where are they from • What types of work can they do • How should they be treated • Excuse companies (and consumers) from responsibility for the suffering of these women

5. Results of the Myth • Practices that assume the disposability of women = good business models • Perpetuates the idea that suffering and sacrifice are necessary for society to advance • Capitalism continues to promise benefits to all but accepts this myth

6. Maquiladora Mestizas and a Feminist Border Politics • Studied factory environments in northern Mexico and Southern China • Had very limited access in China • Focus is on Mexican women and managerial attitudes towards them

7. Maquiladora Mestizas and a Feminist Border Politics • “maquiladora mestizas”- from both sides of the political border who expose limits of myth by climbing corporate ladder • Gloria Anzald`uas argues for cultural reunification across the border in order to empower women on both sides • Maquiladora mestizas effectively use expressions of difference to gain power

8. Mexico on the Water • An AMERICAN company that makes boating products for MEN in America • Important to insure product not “contaminated” by the labor of MEXICAN WOMEN

9. Management Views • Once preferred to hire men because • They make men’s products • Require skilled labor • Higher quality • Now hired women to do electronic and gauge production which they are more suited to

10. Management Views • Disposable women are a threat to product value • Connect nationality of company employees with marketability of product • Must erase all trace of Mexican women from manly American product

11. Americanizing Products • English is used in the management office • Policy does not allow any Mexican to hold power over an American • All in management positions need to be U.S. citizen or have green card AND live in U.S.

12. Americanizing Products • If Mexican and American have same position • American still supervises Mexican • Mexican receives lower salary • Products bear “Made in America” label because undergo final assemble in U.S.

13. Masculinizing Products • Management believes product’s masculinity is safeguarded by a male labor force • Men are better at making masculine products than women • Company makes better quality products as the result of male labor

14. End Results • In changing environment with more and more female laborer the company has a new goal • “take advantage of disposable labor without jeopardizing value of the product” • Female presence growing on all levels of company, especially in the form of the maquiladora mestizas in positions of power