Question

2. From an historical perspective, how has the labor market experience of black women and white women differed?

Answer 1

Historically women in general have been accorded low socio economic status in the society and for centuries could not work in many prestigious fields dominated by men, particularly white men. The black women, however bear the double burden of being black as well as female and have been debarred equal rights with respect to not just men but also white women. Due to years of not getting access to education and cultural capital, black women find it difficult to acquire skills to get formal white collar jobs. So, they are mostly employed in manual and low status jobs. Even the miniscule section who manage to get formal employment, are discriminated against in terms of pay as well as promotions. This happens because of the historical bias and discrimination against the black women as being less deserving of higher pay and an assumed inability to hold higher positions.