1. Working longer hours ignores unpaid work. Who's taking care of the kids, and of the elders?
2. People who are paid more have more incentive to do more paid work.
3. Paying more taxes and receiving less welfare are both results of being paid more.
(thread)
2. People who are paid more have more incentive to do more paid work.
3. Paying more taxes and receiving less welfare are both results of being paid more.
(thread)
4. Men retiring later also reflects higher average pay. The more you earn, the higher the incentive to work a couple more years. (On average, women retire at 62, men at 64.)
5. Men die on the job MUCH more often. Let's talk about that.
5. Men die on the job MUCH more often. Let's talk about that.
Some of the feminist responses to this paradox - "if men are so privileged, why are the overwhelming majority of workplace deaths male?" - are unsatisfying to me.
Some blame the men, saying that if they weren't so macho, they wouldn't die so much.
Some blame the men, saying that if they weren't so macho, they wouldn't die so much.
I hate that argument.
Most men who die on the job didn't have many jobs to choose from. Overwhelmingly, the men dying on the job aren't well-educated white guys from rich families. Generally, they're immigrants without much education or family money.
Most men who die on the job didn't have many jobs to choose from. Overwhelmingly, the men dying on the job aren't well-educated white guys from rich families. Generally, they're immigrants without much education or family money.
When you read about a worker dying in tragic workplace accident, don't imagine he turned down secretary and teaching jobs because he thought they were too feminine.
Like almost all of us, he got the best job he could given his life circumstances.
Like almost all of us, he got the best job he could given his life circumstances.
(But also, anti-feminists, stop saying men are paid more because they risk death. Danger pay is mostly a myth. Nearly all of the most dangerous jobs get shit pay.
Because people in a position to negotiate good pay *aren't* the people digging ditches.)
Because people in a position to negotiate good pay *aren't* the people digging ditches.)
Two things that are true at the same time:
1) Society is organized so that a disproportionate portion of the people in charge are male.
(We might call that "patriarchy.")
2) For men on the bottom of the social order, being male can suck. Like working dangerous jobs.
1) Society is organized so that a disproportionate portion of the people in charge are male.
(We might call that "patriarchy.")
2) For men on the bottom of the social order, being male can suck. Like working dangerous jobs.
And which men are on the bottom, benefiting the least* from male privilege, isn't random. It's largely determined by class, race, immigrant status, disability, etc.
(We might call this "intersectionality.")
*Note: "Benefits the least" isn't the same as "never benefits at all."
(We might call this "intersectionality.")
*Note: "Benefits the least" isn't the same as "never benefits at all."
Why are workplace deaths mostly male?
Job segregation. The same process that funnels some women into lower-paying jobs, funnels some men into dangerous jobs. So for a more equal workplace death ratio, we need to fight job segregation.
As feminists have been doing forever.
Job segregation. The same process that funnels some women into lower-paying jobs, funnels some men into dangerous jobs. So for a more equal workplace death ratio, we need to fight job segregation.
As feminists have been doing forever.
But our main concern with workplace deaths should be trying to get the number lower.
Here's the good news: We *know* how to lower workplace deaths. We need stronger unions. The better the negotiating position of workers, the safer they are.
oem.bmj.com/content/75/10/…
Here's the good news: We *know* how to lower workplace deaths. We need stronger unions. The better the negotiating position of workers, the safer they are.
oem.bmj.com/content/75/10/…
Accidents happen when workers lack negotiating power.
A non-union worker who looks at a trench and says "the bracing isn't enough to prevent a collapse, I'm not going in there" can be fired. A union worker in the same situation has more leverage.
A non-union worker who looks at a trench and says "the bracing isn't enough to prevent a collapse, I'm not going in there" can be fired. A union worker in the same situation has more leverage.
(Another feminist argument about male workplace deaths I hate: "A man probably gave the order, so it's men's fault that men die."
Men aren't the Borg. It's not the dead man's fault that he was ordered to work under unsafe conditions.)
Men aren't the Borg. It's not the dead man's fault that he was ordered to work under unsafe conditions.)
Here's the bad news: Conservatives are very anti-union, and unions have been significantly undermined.
If we want fewer men to die in the workplace, the solution isn't yelling at feminists. It's being pro-union, including supporting politicians who will support pro-union laws.
If we want fewer men to die in the workplace, the solution isn't yelling at feminists. It's being pro-union, including supporting politicians who will support pro-union laws.
Men's rights advocates talk about male workplace deaths VERY frequently. Since this is such an important issue for them, you think they'd make stronger unions a central policy demand, similar to how feminists make reproductive freedom a central policy demand.
But we all know that hasn't happened.
Because most MRAs aren't genuinely out to protect men. They're out to oppose feminism. Which is why MRAs talking about workplace deaths virtually never talk seriously about how to *prevent* them.
/end
Because most MRAs aren't genuinely out to protect men. They're out to oppose feminism. Which is why MRAs talking about workplace deaths virtually never talk seriously about how to *prevent* them.
/end
