Forms of Male Domination and Female Subordination: Homeworkers versus Maquiladora Workers in Mexico

Abstract

Much of what is labeled "patriarchy" in the literature on women's subordination is more accurately described as "neopatriarchy" and "phallocentrism." Neopatriarchy arises when the nuclear family replaces the extended family as the norm and the male head of household is designated as breadwinner. Phallocentrism appears when women challenge male economic domination by entering the labor force and become subordinated due primarily to their sexuality rather than due to their reproductive functions. It is argued that home-based women workers in Mexico are enmeshed in sometimes contested neopatriarchal relations, whereas maquiladora workers are in many cases "kept in place" through machismo phallocentrism on the part of managers, foremen, and male coworkers. In either case, capitalist enterprise gains a docile labor force.