Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS:
HI THERE, PLEASE TRY TO USE THE READINGS AND POWERPOINTS THAT I HAVE ATTACHED AS SHE WANTS US TO PULL FROM CLASS READINGS AND LECTURES. I HAVE ATTACHED MANY. Thanks a lot. You can use outside sources but only after you have used class readings and stuff from lecture/PowerPoint. Thanks again. *ASA Format, please, I have uploaded the directions*
In this individual, take-home assignment you will write a 1,500-1,600 word paper where you describe an intersectional approach to gender and care and critically use it to analyze intersecting inequalities in giving and receiving care.
Organize your paper in essay format to do the following:
1. Describe an intersectional approach to understanding how gender intersects with class, race, Indigeneity, immigrant status, disability, and age to shape exploitative conditions of work for those directly providing it (paid and unpaid) and marginalization in the conditions of ‘care’ or support for those receiving it, drawing on assigned readings and lectures.
2. Demonstrate your understanding of an intersectional approach by critically applying it to non-fictional personal experiences. You must include at least 2 non-fictional experiences, either from personal experiences of your own, your family, or your class peers’ shared in class discussions or reported in the news media. Draw on newspaper or online news sources.
HOW TO WORK ON THIS ASSIGNMENT (EXAMPLE ESSAY / DRAFT)
Introduction Gender and care are two important concepts that intersect with various factors, including race, class, Indigeneity, immigrant status, disability, and age, to shape the conditions of providing and receiving care. In this essay, I will describe an intersectional approach to understanding how these factors interact to shape exploitative conditions of work for caregivers and marginalization in the conditions of care for care recipients. I will draw on assigned readings and lectures to explain how intersectionality can be used to analyze inequalities in giving and receiving care. Additionally, I will critically apply the intersectional approach to two non-fictional personal experiences, including one reported in the news media and one from a class peer shared in a class discussion.
Intersectional Approach to Gender and Care An intersectional approach to gender and care considers the intersections between gender and other social factors, including race, class, Indigeneity, immigrant status, disability, and age, and how these intersections affect the provision and receipt of care. According to Collins (2015), intersectionality is a theoretical framework that recognizes the complexity and interconnectedness of social categories, such as race, gender, and class, and how they shape social inequality. Similarly, Ahmed et al. (2019) suggest that an intersectional approach to care recognizes the diversity of experiences and needs of care providers and recipients.
Gender intersects with these other factors to shape the conditions of care. For example, women, particularly women of color and immigrant women, are overrepresented in low-paying, precarious care work (Collins, 2015; Waring, 2016). This is often a result of systemic discrimination and unequal access to education and training opportunities. Additionally, care work is often undervalued and seen as “women’s work,” perpetuating gendered stereotypes and limiting opportunities for men to enter the field (Waring, 2016).
The conditions of care for recipients are also shaped by these intersecting factors. For instance, care recipients from marginalized communities may face multiple barriers to accessing care, including language barriers, discrimination, and a lack of culturally appropriate care (Ahmed et al., 2019). The intersection of gender, race, and disability can also lead to experiences of multiple oppressions for care recipients with disabilities (McRuer, 2006).
Critical Application of Intersectional Approach to Gender and Care To demonstrate my understanding of the intersectional approach to gender and care, I will critically apply it to two non-fictional personal experiences.
The first experience is reported in the news media and involves the exploitative conditions of work for caregivers. According to the New York Times (2018), caregivers in the United States face long hours, low pay, and few benefits. This is particularly true for women of color who are disproportionately represented in the industry. For instance, home health aides, who provide essential care to elderly and disabled individuals, earn a median wage of only $11.52 per hour and are not guaranteed overtime pay or sick leave (New York Times, 2018). This is a clear example of how gender, race, and class intersect to shape exploitative conditions of work for caregivers.
The second experience was shared by a class peer and involves the challenges faced by a caregiver who is also a single mother. She described the difficulty of balancing her caregiving responsibilities with her job as a teacher and her role as a parent. She noted that her caregiving responsibilities often prevented her from attending school events and participating in her children’s activities. This experience highlights how the intersection of gender, caregiving, and parenting can lead to unique challenges for women who provide care.
Too Tired? Too Anxious? Need More Time? We’ve got your back.