Use this post to discuss class issues and how they relate to feminism. I'm going to post a little bit as a starting point, but feel free to add your own thoughts
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Combine this with an utter lack of affordable childcare in the U.S., and you've got yourself a vicious circle. We put all the burden of childcare on women (and when dad's not in the picture, which is depressingly more likely in a situation of existing poverty, there's not much of a choice), then castigate these same women for needing public assistance to care for the children we expect them to raise, so we expect them to get jobs, but then blame them for not being able to find SOMETHING! to do with those darn kids. I guess if you're poor and have committed the cardinal sin of having children (something society says women are supposed to do!) you're just supposed to, I don't know, leave them at the poorhouse steps so you can go get a job? There are so many contradictory messages for poor and working-poor women with the audacity to want to (gasp!) raise their own children - you can't win.
This seriously pisses me off. My friend is on welfare, works two jobs to pay rent for her 1 bedroom house, car note, gas, bills, groceries, clothes and babysitting and she still doesn't make enough to make ends meet. Even with benefits but they still want to cut her benefits because ~she's making too much money~ working 2 jobs. She pays $150 a week just for babysitting while she busts her ass at 2 jobs. That's beyond ridiculous.
It seems as soon as a woman makes any progress they want to cut benefits. Got another job? Less money for you. Oh there's a man in the house? Someone get the butcher knife so we can cut you off.
"I don't know, leave them at the poorhouse steps so you can go get a job?"
I've literally heard someone say in all seriousness that they think poor women should give their kids up to child services, because if they can't care for them they shouldn't have them. It's fucking sickening.
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It seems as soon as a woman makes any progress they want to cut benefits. Got another job? Less money for you. Oh there's a man in the house? Someone get the butcher knife so we can cut you off.
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I've literally heard someone say in all seriousness that they think poor women should give their kids up to child services, because if they can't care for them they shouldn't have them. It's fucking sickening.
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