Sunday, 22 January 2012

ARRRRRGH

There's some interesting - and worrying - news regarding employment for women in Christchurch in the aftermath of the earthquake:

...research showed female employees were hit hardest by job losses after the February 22 earthquake.
A Ministry of Women's Affairs study found women accounted for 70 per cent of job losses in the city. Women made up 90 per cent of the 12,600 jobs lost in the retail and accommodation industries.
Meanwhile, just one in 10 of the 4500 construction jobs created in Christchurch last year were filled by women
Why this this interesting and worrying? Because of the effect on women? Because women are under-represented in growing industries? Because it may indicate that women are being discriminated against when it come to dismissals?

Ahaha no. No.  It's because it's leading to a woman drought, silly.

A FUCKING WOMAN DROUGHT.

Oh, but wait, there's more. Not only are there less women for men to choose from, the quality of them has diminished, because women from university age to thirties are the first to leave. Not only that, "the girls stopped making as much effort with their appearance. They obviously didn't have to try as hard."

So nice to know we've got our priorities sorted.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I read this article in the paper this morning and it drove me nuts. The bit that I hated the most:

"Despite the fears of a women-drought, females still outnumber men in New Zealand. Statistics New Zealand said last year there were more than 50,000 "excess" 25 to 49-year-old females in New Zealand"

When the discussion is how many men there are, it's a 'woman drought'. But when it's how many women there are, it's 'excess'. Because women only exist to be partnered with men, and if you can't be partnered up, you're 'excess' as far as society is concerned.

Am I being too extreme?

-K

anthea said...

No, K, I don't think you're being too extreme at all. Though I have been known to be considered extreme myself ;)

AnneE said...

Brilliant, thank you - I read this too and felt queasy, but didn't work out exactly what was wrong the way you have here.

Anonymous said...

K (and Anthea),

I also notice that in it being written that way, it's as if the only ones taking up space (either too much of it, or leaving a yawning, gaping, suctioning hole) are women.

Now that sounds familiar...

:) Iris