Timmins referred to the
Heart of Gold city. 100 years ago Timmins was established and mines began to be
built. The Hollinger mine was built in the center of Timmins, which produced a
lot of gold (Green, 2011). Timmins soon became known as the city with the heart
of gold. In the northern region mining has have tremendous impact on
communities. As mines would open up more jobs would be created. Unfortunately
for women, mining remains to be a very male dominated field (Lahiri-Dutt, 2012).
Why is it that mining
remains to be dominated by male in a world that is supposed to be equal and
just? The old saying anything a man can do a female can to, yet this seems to
not be the case in mining. Some people feels as though women are not capable of
handling the task of a miner, some feel it is not a women place to be in the
mines, I say, if we as women can do the same job as you can, and can met the
same requirements, we have every right to work in the mines. Unfortunately
certain people do not agree. A lot of the northern communities are heavily
based on mining resources. The Ring of Fire is a project that may be created in
the northern region of Ontario, create and develop several mines (Ontario
Nature, 2011).
In my career working as
a Child and Youth worker for Child and Family services, most of my coworkers
are females. When I go to the hospital I encounter many more female nurses,
than I do male nurses. Even though it is social accepted that males can be a
nurse or a social worker, up north we still see a lot of the gender based
employment roles. This could potentially
be caused by males are working in the mines and females must find employment
elsewhere.
Although we as females
have come a long way in attempts to get equal rights, we still continue to face
adversity and barriers along the way. This cannot stop you from continuing your
aspired dreams, because I believe that men and women are capable of amazing
things, and the word impossible is simply a state of mind that you have create
for yourself to give yourself an excuse to give up. Anyone can achieve. One of
my female clients at work told me that the word impossible simply means I’m
Possible. Believe in yourself and your abilities, and believe that we are
equals and allow yourself to succeed.
Christine- Girl Power :)
mining.Gender, Place & Culture 19 (2), 193-212
Retrieved from: http://resolver.scholarsportal.info/resove/0966369x/v19i0002/193_dwtanaffcom
Green, Norman
(2011) Thirty-Eight Years of Progress
[Timmins History] Retrieved from
http://www.republicofmining.com/2011/01/02/thirty-eight-years-of-progress-%E2%80%93-by-norman-e-green-1947-49/
Ontario Nature. (2011). Ring of Fire Mining. Retrieved from
http://www.ontarionature.org/protect/campaigns/ring_of_fire.php
Christine,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your topic. Family and friends were actually discussing how my brother should get into mining because of the great money there is to be made in that career. I found it interesting because no one looked at me to say "Geraldine you should get into it too". They know I am in psychology and that it doesn't seem like something I would be interested in, but it is also something that a woman is never suggested to get into. As you said, this work is left for the males. It was interesting to read your perspective on this. Especially coming from a Northern region it is interesting that as important and valued the industry is to the community that there is still subjection to females working there.
Geraldine
When I read this blog I instantly thought of the movie North Country. It is about a few females that enter into mining and they endure harassment because of this, one woman stood up and had laws changed.
ReplyDeleteI think that some jobs are still very much gender based. Nursing in my opinion is starting to change. Before we only saw women, now a days this field is changing. At the hospital I work at I see many more male nurses entering into this field, I think that this will only increase. However the issue you raised in your blog I do believe inequality still exists especially if a job is seen more of a "man's job".
Mining is just one example that is still male dominated, firefighting is another example. There are not a lot of women firefighters because of the physical fitness tests that need to be passed. Women do not have the same strength the men do, and this is shown through the tests that must be performed. Mechanic work is still very much male dominated as well.
I think that even though there may be a male dominance in these areas doesn't mean that women still can not try and do the same type of work if they so desire.
Alissa B- mental illness group