"Women Are Joining the Unemployment Line, Too"

We invite you to read the post, "Women are Joining the Unemployment Line, Too," published by our friends at Womenstake, the National Women's Law Center blog. For months, journalists have reported misleading information about the impact of the economic downturn, emphasizing that it's been much worse for men while downplaying or omitting the equivalent if not disproportionate impact on women, especially low-income women and women of color.

Responding to the New York Times article, "As Layoffs Surge, Women May Pass Men in Workforce," Valerie Norton writes:

This recession, like most, hit the male-dominated housing, construction, and manufacturing sectors first. So, over the past year, men’s unemployment rose faster than women’s, climbing to 7.6 percent in January 2009. However, since September, as the recession has spread to the female-dominated retail and services sectors, women’s unemployment also rose quickly and actually rose slightly faster than men’s. This past month, women’s unemployment climbed to 6.2 percent, the highest rate in 16 years and the largest single-year increase in 33 years. Unemployment among women who head families -– who have no other income to fall back on and are especially vulnerable –- climbed to 10.3 percent. Read More