Taking on the Big Boys: Or Why Feminism is Good for Families, Business and the Nation

Enough about ‘breaking the glass ceiling’. Here are the blueprints for a redesign of the entire building, ground up, to benefit women and men - and even the bottom line. The feisty humour of Molly Ivins and the journalistic flair of Barbara Ehrenreich meet when long-time labour activist Ellen Bravo relates stories from business and government, and women’s testimonies from offices, assembly lines, hospitals, and schools. Bravo unmasks the patronising, trivialising, and minimising tactics employed by the big boys (the powerful men and women that maintain the status quo) and their surrogates: they portray feminism as women against men, and they dismiss as outrageous demands for pay equity, family leave, and overtime. Practical tips on everything from dealing with a sexual harasser to getting family members to share the chores (and build equal relationships) enliven many chapters. Bravo argues for feminism as a system of beliefs, laws, and practices that fully values women and work associated with women, while detailing activist strategies to achieve a society where everybody - women and men - reach their potential. Ultimately, Taking On the Big Boys provides a plan of action - practical ways in which activists can create and implement new policies that will provide real social change.