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How Far Have You Come, Baby?

By Pat Racimora on October 31, 2009 at 10:30 AM in Gender Bias, Women

webtwowomenequality_edited

The World Economic Forum recently released the results of their study on the progress of attaining gender equity within countries, controlling for overall wealth disparities.

Whereas the United States may be proud of its advances in Civil Rights over the last 50 or so years, where do women stand now compared to men with regards to economic participation, education, health, and political power?

Well, the news is not exactly what women in the United States want to hear. We are ranked just behind Lithuania and just in front of Namibia. In fact, two African countries afford their women more gender equity than we do here.

The best of the 115 countries ranked were Iceland, Finland, Norway, Sweden and New Zealand. Two African countries — South Africa and Lesotho — appear for the first time to round out the top 10 along with Denmark, Ireland and the Philippines.

The bottom ranked are Qatar, Egypt, Mali, Iran, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Benin, Pakistan, and Chad with Yemen trailing in last.

So, where are we? The United States is in 31st, down four ranks since the last study.

Associated Press Writer, Edith Lederer, cites Saadia Zahidi, head of the forum’s Women Leaders and Gender Parity Program:

The survey shows that on health, “the world is doing fairly well,” closing over 96 percent of the gap in resources between women and men, Zahidi said. On education, about 93 percent of the gap has been closed but on economic participation and opportunity only 60 percent has been closed and on political empowerment only 17 percent.

“…Basically what we’re saying is that across the world, in general, women are starting to be almost as healthy and almost as educated as men — obviously with major exceptions — but those resources are not being used efficiently in terms of economic participation and certainly not in terms of political decision-making,” Zahidi said.

So, half of the women’s population around the world have a ways yet to go before full equality is realized. And the United States has further to go than 30 other countries.

Hang in there—it’s at least it’s mostly moving in the right direction…except for a few countries, including our own.

  • Ladydawnelle

    Wow AWESOME drawing Pat!!

    And very interesting stats! Thanks!

    • Pat Racimora

      Thank you kindly, Ladydawnelle. It’s fun to play around with different drawing styles (although my one constant is “colorful”!)

  • HARP

    Sorry for the OT Pat, but they are trying to scrub this so I thought I would sneak it in.

    Corzine campaign staffer arrested on drug charges:

    http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/corzine_campaign_staffer_arrested_90W38gZ0Z0ZRfYDxgrAh3N

    • Docelder

      Sounds convenient to me. I have no love lost for anybody Obama would campaign for, but this is probably a last minute setup to control the message in the final hours leading up to the vote. It is kind of like somebody’s grandmother dying, to think of it. Corruption just begets more corruption and Chicago style politics will spawn counterparts just as ugly if not more so. Only we the people can save ourselves now, not the parties. The parties have betrayed us for their own agendas. Agendas such as this one… win at all costs, just win.

      • Lana

        kind of like somebody’s grandmother dying, to think of it

        ROTF!!! Sad but true

  • Kailyne

    I am reader, and I don’t often post. But, I wanted to thank Pat for the article, if for no other reason than to keep the focus on the content. I find it interesting that an article disclosing the lack of political power/presence of women around the world, is almost immediately overrun with other content. Regardless of the motivation, I think it speaks volumes to the problem – we get ignored! Thank you again Pat.

    • Tricia Spiegel

      Thanks for pointing that out, Kailyne. We do have to try harder to get noticed!

    • Ani

      Great comment.

      And great cartoon, Pat. It is hard to understand why many are not concerned that US women live in a country that ranks 31st on this list.

      • Lana

        It is hard to understand why many are not concerned that US women live in a country that ranks 31st on this list.

        So true, Ani, so true. And as long as That One is in office, I don’t expect any gains. I won’t stop trying, but it’s hard to expect much from this president.

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  • http://deleted BuzzisbackLatte

    The DNC’s actions to make Obama their candidate on 5-31-08 should be all the proof one needs to understand what happens to women in this country.

    • http://www.rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com/ Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

      SPOT ON, Buzz. The whole past election is all the explanation we need for how the US slipped 4 places. That level of misogyny, sadly, is still on display in this country.

      Kailyne, thank you for your observation – sad, and true.

      Interesting that the issues at which they looked are almost identical to the very concepts Hillary Clinton has been promoting around the world.

      And, interesting that most of the top ten also have full rights for GLB people (yes, including South Africa, which has equal rights for GLBT people written into its constitution). Those colder countries (!) and New Zealand are pretty progressive. Lesotho, not so much, but work is going on there.

      Great toon, Pat!

      • http://in Elizabeth

        http: //www.weforum.org/en/media/Latest%20Press%20Releases/PR_GGG09

        The United States (31) fell by three places, owing to minor drops in the participation of women in the economy and improvements in the scores of previously lower-ranking countries.

        More likely the result of an economic plunge that always disproportionately impacts women and minorities, especially on the low income side.

  • SHV

    South Africa in the top Ten?

    “One in four men in South Africa have admitted to rape and many confess to attacking more than one victim, according to a study that exposes the country’s endemic culture of sexual violence.

    Three out of four rapists first attacked while still in their teens, the study found. One in 20 men said they had raped a woman or girl in the last year.

    South Africa is notorious for having one of the highest levels of rape in the world. Only a fraction are reported, and only a fraction of those lead to a conviction.”

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/17/south-africa-rape-survey

    If south Africa is ranked in the top ten, then there is a problem with the studies methodology, IMO.

    • Tricia Spiegel

      SHV, You point out something quite serious, I agree. But I think the study did not assess rape or oher crimes against women. Just the 4 things: Education, Health, Economic Participation, and Political Empowerment.

      • rw

        It’s a ceteris paribus type of study, in the real world how can you have an educated, healthy, economically and politically empowered female population that fears for their physical safety. You can’t, and you don’t. It’s a flagrant pathetic contradiction.

    • hc123

      I agree, this is BS.

      If Jacob Zuma is the president of a country in the top 10, then as usual this “worldwide ranking” absolutely ridiculous.

  • Solara 9

    I think that we women in the United States are largely out of touch with what the lives of women in other countries are like. We like to think we have it the best (and in some ways–especially in the material stuff we can buy–we do). But we are unaware of how many countries have already had women heads of state. There are many! We tried, and saw horrific sexism in action.

    Also, you cannot always equate freedom with political and econmic power. I think women feel free to do lots of interesting things, but that glass ceiling is only cracked–and that glass is so thick that the cracks don’t really count yet.

  • Sassy

    Wonderful work Pat!
    Certainly education is the most important statistic cited, and we know that women have been slowly gaining ground in financial matters.
    That one took a long time!
    The political aspects are the most distressing to me, particularly since the U.S. should have long since mastered that one!

  • oowawa

    Wow–then and now, faceless dolls, slender objects to be put on the shelf as pretty ornaments. “How far have you come, baby?”–a riff on the old Virginia Slims ciggy campaign, “You’ve come a long way, baby.” Still faceless, still an object. Still an anorexic unattainable ideal.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Slims

    Once again, a very evocative cartoon, Pat.

    • Ferd Berfle

      Maybe I’m wrong, but they appear to be objects rather than human, which is quite telling and a bit jarring.

      • Pat Racimora

        Kind of on purpose, Ferd. Not fully human yet in terms of full access to what human beings can do in a society.

        • Ferd Berfle

          Then you did the job you set out to do. Congratulations.

          It’s still a bit disconcerting, but then that’s part of what art is supposed to be.

  • N. Lee

    Women have to rally together, instead of fighting each other. It’s time for us to open the window and yell, “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore.”

    Studies show that minorities tend to eat each other, instead of helping uplift each other. It’s an unconscious habit, as we are fighting for territory and resources, since minorities tend to have very little (power and material goods).

    Women need to start networking and creating the “good old girl” network. We need a leader, organizations that stop focusing on just abortion rights, and start including all women of all faiths and race.

    More women attend college. We are educated and fierce. Let’s start showing it.

    • lorac

      Point taken, but we’re not a minority – we’re the majority.

  • oowawa

    Here are some other things I notice, without further comment:

    1) The “How far have you come, baby” headline above the two figures seems to invite a before-and-after comparison between “primitive” culture and modern culture.

    2) The figure on the left has no ears (though both are faceless), and her head seems to provide a base for the more prominent colorful jug balanced upon it. The head appears to be part of the jug. One hand is needed to balance the jug.

    3) The left figure is bright and cheerful; the right figure is in black.

    4) The right figure does not need to balance a jug. Now both hands are free to–do what? Pose with her hands on her slender hips?

    • Rich

      Very interesting observations. What do you think the differences mean?

      Rich

      • oowawa

        I don’t know about the details, Rich, but I feel like we are looking at unfinished works-in-progress that are incomplete and hungry for fulfillment. “How far have you come, baby?” Not nearly far enough.

  • helenk

    Pat
    you always say more with a cartoon the most with columns.
    I want to thank you for your work and the way you make people think.
    Do you or will you have a book of your cartoons? I would like to buy some copies and give them to some people who need to be awakened.

    WOMEN WITH INTELLIGENCE AND EXPERIENCE,MEN WHO SUPPORT THEM AND COUNTRY BEFORE PARTY ALWAYS

    PUMAS,BUBBAS,EQUALISTS AND THOSE PEOPLE RULE

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  • OWG

    Michelle Bachmann has asked for Americans to show up on the front steps of the Capitol Building at noon on Thursday, Nov. 5th to confront Congress about the Health Care Reform bills now being considered. For those who cannot go, fax a proxy to her office. Please copy and paste this on to every blog you can. We need millions of proxies to arrive at her office in time for her to be able to represent all of us.

    Michelle Bachmann
    Washington Office

    107 Cannon HOB
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: (202) 225-2331
    Fax: (202) 225-6475

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  • Rich

    Very creative cartoon.

    With all of the attention on health care and not wanting to be behind other industrial nations, this issue may block the fact that we are behind other industrial nations in many important issues like the women’s issue talked about in your cartoon as well as education, life longevity, and others.

    I feel that this issue about how women are treated is very important because how can any country consider itself enlightened, progressive, or future-oriented if their women are not seen as equal to men? Or, if not ALL people are seen as equals including gay and lesbians.

    What I also find interesting is that women outnumber men, so you would think that they would unite more effectively and not allow this to happen. Is this part of learned helplessness or what?

    I honestly believe that when women and others have equal rights, the creativity of the country as well as the productivity of the country goes up which in the end is good for everyone including our children.

    Rich

  • jiminycricket

    Thanks for jumping up and down and waving your arms on this issue, Tricia. It needs to be aired. Especially when Mr. O is managing to find the time to play all those rounds of basketball with the guys and throwing in a token woman at his all too many rounds of golf. (Even President Bush knew better than to do that.)

    All that when he can’t even come to a conclusion about Afghanistan…or at least make a decision before he gets the polling straight.

  • Lana

    “My heart is broken again because of a serious act of violence against a woman,” he said. “We have not learned to rightly value the bodies and lives of women.”

    from an article entitled Parents Of Richmond Rape Victim Call For Peace

    http://cbs5.com/local/richmond.no.charges.2.1283888.html

  • kenoshamarge

    If the events of the elections of 2008, both primary and general didn’t tell us how far the women in this country have to go we weren’t paying attention.

    If the cover of a so-called feminist magazine that feature Oblahblah and proclaimed, This Is What A Feminist Looks Like didn’t tell us that we still have a long way to go then we are too obtuse to know our butts from a barrel.

    Women make up a majority but a majority where 1/2 say the other half doesn’t count as feminists because they aren’t liberals. Feminism has now been pretty much defined as liberal women. That means that feminists don’t have a majority. Once they excluded their sisters on the right, actually drove them away, they lost the majority.

    And once they started kissing the patriachy’s ass they stopped being a viable group worthy of support. IMO

  • Gwen

    Women in the U.S. now are enrolling in college in greater numbers than men. They are more determined and focused — 70% of school valedictorians are female. They also have surpassed men in the number employed since the start of the recession. It may take some time, but eventually women should have more buying power and with that, more political power.

    But, women do need to learn how to use their status as a majority to get what they want politically. Look at the last election and you will see how many women attacked the women candidates on trivial matters — like they drank the Kool-aid and didn’t think women should be running for the most powerful office in the land. So stupid and short-sighted.

    • solara 9

      Yes, Gwen! Excellent comment!

  • Don X

    The article in the site below provides an interesting perspective on the differences in the impact of the current recession on job losses for men and women. The heading is Man-cession and suggests that men have take the brunt of the job losses. I am wondering if men are dropped from the work force more often because they tend to have higher pay. And this is a cost-saving move as companies trim their work force. When it comes to hiring new workers as the economy improves, will employers tend to give preference to women if they can hire them at lower salaries? Women may be willing to accept a lower salary than a man for the same job. Just speculation.

    stlouisfed.org/publications/re/articles/?id=1712

  • Don X

    The link referred to above was truncated. The actual link to the article is:

    http://www.stlouisfed.org/publications/RecessionDemographics/

    • Tricia Spiegel

      Interesting! Thanks, Don X. Woen are still paid less, so you may be right.

    • Tricia Spiegel

      Interesting! Thanks, Don X. Women are still paid less, so you may be right.