Damn. The Shriver Report, out in the morning, already sounds fantastic. CAP explains: “The Center for American Progress, in partnership with Maria Shriver, has broken new ground with the publication of The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything. By taking a hard look at how women’s changing roles are affecting our major societal institutions, from government and businesses to our faith communities, the report outlines how these institutions rely on outdated models of who works and who cares for our families, and examines how all these parts of the culture have responded to one of the greatest social transformations of our time.â€
You can read Gloria Steinem’s early Women’s Media Center review–she likes Kimmel on men’s stake in equality, she worries that the 50/50 workplace hasn’t created a safe and just world just yet, she has high hopes for change. At Time Magazine, they’ve posted the Shriver Report survey results with the headline, “The Argument about Women Working Is Over.” In a skillfully conducted poll, 76% of men and 80% of women agree that women and men sharing the work force 50/50 is “positive for society.”
In the coming days, much will be said–and the media blitz looks fabulous (Time Magazine cover out Friday; CAP President John Podesta and Maria Shriver on Meet the Press Sunday, Maria Shriver on Today Monday – Wednesday, Heather Boushey on MSNBC on Tuesday, and god knows what else)–but here are two early points that I want to celebrate tonight.
First, the survey finds–and recognizes that it finds–much more similarity than difference between men and women across a host of items. Just one example: Men and women have very similar life goals. We value security, fulfilling work, and children to a similar degree. The widest margin of difference? Women value religion more so than men.
Second, I love the way the Center for American Progress identifies their project. CAP has located the focus on the great labor market transition of the late 20th century as a human issue, not a gendered issue. Women are the movers–in this case moving into the workforce–but the movement is about all of us, men and women, and how we as a working nation can arrange our lives humanely and effectively.
For all the data and analysis, visit CAP’s project page “Working Nation: How Women’s Progress is Reshaping America’s Family and the Economy.“
Comments
Bella DePaulo — October 24, 2009
Hi Virginia,
I agree that there is lots of good stuff in the Shriver Report, but after reading every page, I ended up disappointed at how marginalized single women without kids were.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/living-single/200910/shriver-s-woman-s-nation-is-actually-wife-and-mother-s-nation-the-evidence
--Bella
Martin — October 26, 2009
I was disappointed when Obama was interviewed on NBC (MSNBC) about the Shriver report and he just completely misses the effect societal pressures have on choices that are made (in reference to the basketball issue around 15 minutes in). He's not perfect - I don't expect him to be - he whiffed on that one though. This is the same line of thinking that pops up during discussions of how people are represented on television. For instance, the much ballyhooed casting of Grays Anatomy - where people love it because they didn't pre-cast the races of the participants, and simply left it to the casting directors and crew to pick the players based on who they thought "fit" the best. Well come on - where do you think that sense comes from - thin air? It comes from what society has taught you.
Similarly, when Obama thinks that Michelle and/or his girls wanting to play tennis or soccer instead of basketball - that it's just a choice they felt like making and that society has nothing to do with it. Whooooosh.
Martin — October 26, 2009
Duh - forgot to link the interview.