SECTION 7a:
Index
Page Number
Diversity Awareness
Acknowledgement
Page
2
Instructor’s
Facilitator’s Guide
3-18
Materials
Cultural
Competency
PowerPoint
Gender Equity
Quiz
Gender Equity
Answer Sheet
19-36
37
38
Springboards for
Discussing
39-42
History of
Affirmative Action
43-45
Ten Myths About
Affirmative Action
46-49
Myths and Fact
50
Identifying Gender
Neutral Terms
51
The material in this section was adapted
from material provided by North
Americas Building Trades Unions
Women in the Trades Committee, Wider
Opportunities for Women (WOW), and
Chicago Women in the Trades.
MODULE 1
Building Cultural
Competency and Respect for
Diversity
FACILITATOR GUIDE
BUILDING CULTURAL COMPETENCY AND RESPECT FOR
DIVERSITY
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Page 2
Learning Objectives …………………………………………………………………………………………………….….. Page 2
Module-At-A-Glance …………………………………………………………………………….…….…………………… Page 3
Material List ………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………….. Page 4
Facilitator Instructions
Session 1: Diversity and Inequality ….………………………………………………………...………………….… Page 5
Session 2: Roots of Inequality …………………………………………………………………………………..…… Page 12
Appendix A Module 1 Materials Guide …………………………………………………………….……………. Page 15
Appendix B: Resources and References ………………………………………………………………....…….. Page 16
OVERVIEW
The historical and social roots of the under-representation of women and minorities in the
building trades create unique challenges to building a diverse construction workforce and
equitable worksites. Supporting workers from under-represented groups, and ensuring a
productive, cooperative workplace, requires enhancing what is referred to as the “cultural
competency” of all workers—that is, their skills in understanding and incorporating into their
own lives the particular backgrounds of the diverse people with whom they work. This module
addresses diversity matters, equal employment opportunity, and nondiscrimination rights in
the workplace and classroom. It promotes traits for all workers to survive and thrive in the
construction industry.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Students will be able to:






Explain the importance of a diverse workforce in the construction industry
Identify the importance of the construction industry to diverse populations
Identify the historical and social roots of under-representation of women and
minorities in the trades
Explain the barriers and challenges to building a diverse construction workforce and
an equitable worksite
Explain what it means to be a culturally competent person and organization
Identify equal employment opportunity and non-discrimination rights in the
workplace and classroom
Students will build skills and resources for:






Creating an equitable work environment
Preventing and addressing discrimination
Working with traditionally underrepresented populations
Promoting gender and race neutrality, sensitivity and inclusivity in the
apprenticeship program and on the job site
Surviving and thriving in a male dominated workplace
Balancing work and family
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
3
MODULE-AT-A-GLANCE
SESSION #
1
2
[5.5 Hours]
SESSION TITLE
DIVERSITY AND INEQUALITY
1.1 Understanding Diversity
1.2 Gender Equity
1.3 Cultural Competency
1.4 Exploring Stereotypes
1.5 Discussing Prejudice
1.6 Strategies for Addressing a Prejudiced Speaker
1.7 The History of Affirmative Action
ROOTS OF INEQUALITY
2.1 Barriers to Women’s Participation in Skilled Trades Jobs
2.2 Myths and Facts
2.3 Images and Words are Powerful
2.4 Gender Neutral Terms
2.5 Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack
2.6 Summary and Closing
TIME
3 Hours
5 Mins.
25 Mins.
15 Mins.
30 Mins.
45 Mins.
15 Mins.
45 Mins.
2.5 Hours
30 Mins.
30 Mins.
30 Mins.
15 Mins.
30 Mins.
15 Mins.
The lesson plan is divided into two parts: Diversity and Inequality; and Roots of Inequality.
The module is designed to be flexible and can be tailored to class schedule, class size, time
constraints and program needs.
MATERIAL LIST




MODULE MATERIALS
Handouts
Exercise sheets
Reference sheets
PowerPoint presentation





SUPPLIES/EQUIPMENT
Flipcharts and markers
Projector and screen
Adhesive labels
Plain paper
Masking tape
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
4
FACILITATOR INSTRUCTIONS
SESSION 1: Diversity and Inequality
[3 Hours]
MATERIALS NEEDED:
 PowerPoint slides [Slide # indicated in brackets]
 Projector and Screen
 Flipcharts and markers
 Adhesive labels
 Handouts:
o EX Gender Equity Quiz
o HO Springboards for Discussing Prejudice
o HO History of Affirmative Action
o HO Ten Myths of Affirmative Action
 Reference:
o REF Gender Equity Quiz Answers
1.1
UNDERSTANDING DIVERSITY
[5 Mins.]
Introduce the module by reviewing the following:
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers makes it clear that diversity is
important to the main goals and objectives of the union. It states:
The IBEW is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination or harassment
from the workplace. The goals and objectives stated in the Preamble of the IBEW
Constitution are as relevant today as they were when they were written. These
goals and objectives seek to protect our members and enable them to attain a
higher standard of living in all areas of their lives: social, intellectual and moral.
We can find strength in the diversity of our membership. By working together,
helping each other and respecting each other, we can promote a cooperative and
progressive work environment. Diversity in the workplace is nothing to fear. In
fact, it can provide the strength we need to organize and to build the IBEW to
meet the challenges of the global marketplace in the 21st century.
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
5
The Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers have a similar statement and link diversity and
non-discrimination to the union’s future growth.
“Apart from the moral and legal consequences of failing to combat
discrimination is the failure to grow. BAC’s ability to maintain current
membership levels and grow in the future requires the Union to recruit and retain
minorities and women in greater numbers than ever before. It requires us to
speak up when we are aware of discrimination or harassment. It requires us to
challenge damaging stereotypes about different groups and offer support and
respect for all members as individuals. And, it requires us to embrace all of our
members as equals.”
Review the benefits for the construction industry of having a diverse workforce as
outlined in [Slide 2]:
 Expanded pool of candidates
 Increased market share
 Public image
 Social justice
 Equal Employment Opportunity and affirmative action regulations
 Community Benefit Agreements/Project Labor Agreements
1.2
GENDER EQUITY
[25 Mins.]
Distribute the Gender Equity Quiz and explain that we are going to look at the
importance of the construction industry to women’s economic equity - [Slides 3 - 4].
ACTIVITY:
o Give students time to complete the quiz individually.
o Pair students up and have them compare and discuss their answers.
REPORTS:
o Ask for a volunteer to read the first question and give the answer.
o Rotate volunteers until all questions have been addressed.
SUMMARY:
o Review key points raised during the discussion.
o Summarize using [Slide 5] as an example of the earnings difference
between traditional and non-traditional female occupations.
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
6
1.3
CULTURAL COMPETENCY
[15 Mins.]
Define and explain cultural competency using the following:
Cultural Competency is the ability to work effectively across cultures in a way that
acknowledges and respects the culture of the person or organization being served. The
following defines the stages of the “Cultural Competency Continuum.”
Cultural Destructiveness
 Individual or groups refuse to acknowledge the presence or importance of
cultural differences in the teaching/learning process
 Any perceived or real differences from the dominant mainstream culture are
punished or suppressed
 Cultural Competency Continuum
Cultural Incapacity
 Cultural differences are neither punished nor supported
 The individual or organization chooses to ignore differences
 There is no attention, time, teaching, or resources devoted to understanding and
supporting cultural differences
 Cultural Competency Continuum
Cultural Blindness
 Individual or organization actively proffers the idea that cultural differences are
inconsequential and of no importance
 Cultural differences may be noted, but being color blind (and culture blind) is the
desired state.
 No resources, attention, or time are devoted to understanding cultural
differences
 Cultural Competency Continuum
Cultural Pre-competence
 Teachers, learners, and organizations recognize and respond to cultural
differences and attempt to redress non-liberating structures, teaching practices,
and inequities
 Individuals and organizations recognize the need for cultural competency and
this serves as a first step in removing some of the debilitating practices that limit
the educational progress of diverse learners
 Cultural Competency Continuum
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
7
Cultural Competence
 Organizations and individuals learn to value cultural differences and attempt to
find ways to celebrate, encourage, and respond to differences within and among
themselves
 Teachers and students explore issues or equity, cultural history and knowledge,
social justice, and privilege and power relations in our society
1.4
EXPLORING STEREOTYPES
[30 Mins.]
PREPARATION: Obtain the same number of adhesive labels (e.g., file folder labels) as
there are students in your class and write a stereotypic attribute on each label.
Examples could include: violent, athletic, cute, overemotional, incompetent, good at
math, lazy, untrustworthy, unclean, musical, materialistic, diseased, unintelligent,
exotic, forgetful, and frail.
After discussing research and theories on stereotyping, explain that you will conduct a
labeling exercise to help students learn about how stereotypes affect the selfperception and behavior of the person who is stereotyped.
ACTIVITY:
o Participation in this exercise is optional; anyone who prefers not to participate
directly can simply play the role of an observer.
o Attach a label on each student's forehead (or back) so that the label is not visible
to the wearer. Make clear that these labels are being assigned randomly and
have nothing to do with students' actual attributes.
o Then ask students to spend 15 minutes talking with each other about "future
goals" (another general topic can be chosen, but this one works well in eliciting
responses to the labels).
o Tell students that they should circulate in order to talk with several different
people, and to treat one another according to the other person's labeled
attribute. For example, someone labeled "forgetful" might be repeatedly
reminded of the instructions.
o After 15 minutes, reconvene the class and ask students to leave their labels on
for a little while longer (if the class size and furniture allows, it's best to sit in a
circle).
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
8
REPORTS:
o Ask students to share how they felt during the exercise, how they were treated
by others, and how this treatment affected them. Students will often mention
their discomfort not only with being stereotyped but with treating others
stereotypically.
o Finally, tell students that they can now remove their labels. Discuss the exercise
using the following questions:
 Was the label what you guessed, or were you surprised by it?
 When people stereotyped you, were you able to disregard it?
 Did you try to disprove the stereotype? If so, did it work?
 How did you feel toward the person who was stereotyping you?
 If your attribute was positive (e.g., "good at math"), how did you feel?
 When stereotyping others, how easy was it to find confirming evidence?
 When stereotyping others, how did you react to disconfirming evidence?
These questions offer a natural forum to discuss sub-typing, self-fulfilling
prophecies, confirmation biases, belief perseverance, and other psychological
factors involved in stereotyping.
1.5
DISCUSSING PREJUDICE
[45 Mins.]
Transition from the stereotype activity to the following discussion session.
PREPARATION: Choose one of the Springboard Discussion sheets for the activity:
1. Springboards for Discussing Prejudice, Stereotyping, Discrimination
2. Springboards for Discussing Contemporary Racism
3. Springboards for Discussing Sexism
4. Springboards for Discussing Heterosexism
[Adapted from “Springboards for Discussing Old-Style Racism.”]
ACTIVITY:
o Divide students into small groups of 4 - 5 students
o Distribute the Springboard for Discussion sheet
o Review the instructions listed on the discussion sheet
o Give students 30 minutes to discuss the springboards
o Monitor the groups to ensure they remain focused and that all members are
participating
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
9
REPORTS:
o Reconvene the groups and ask students to share anything interesting that
emerged in their group's discussion.
SUMMARY:
o Highlight key points raised by the groups
o Provide insight based on your observations of the small group discussions
o Summarize the section by reviewing [Slide 6] - “Are We Post-Racial Yet?”
1.6
STRATEGIES FOR ADDRESSING A PREJUDICED SPEAKER
[15 Mins.]
Review with students strategies for addressing a prejudiced speaker and emphasize the
value of:






Humanizing the victims of prejudice
Avoiding arguments that provoke reactance
Finding common ground and enlarging upon it
Planting a seed rather than needing instant resolution
Considering why the comment was made -- not just whether it's true
Thinking about what has worked to change one's own mind, and using that
approach
1) Use questions such as "Why do you say that?" and "Do you feel that way
about every person in that group?" Questions don’t engender resistance.
2) Tap into the speaker’s self-image. "I'm surprised to hear you say that,
because I've always thought of you as someone who is very openminded."
3) Tell the other person how you feel (e.g., "It makes me uncomfortable to
hear that") rather than how to behave (e.g., "You shouldn't say that").
The latter statement can be disputed, but the former cannot.
4) Approach the other person with respect rather than self-righteous
indignation. Many prejudiced comments are misguided attempts at
humor by speakers who do not view themselves as prejudiced;
consequently, an effort to convince them not to be prejudiced is likely to
fail.
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
10
1.7
THE HISTORY OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
[45 Mins.]
Distribute the History of Affirmative Action and 10 Myths of Affirmative Action
handouts. [Slides 7-8]
ACTIVITY:
o Divide students into groups of 5-7 students.
o Instruct the groups to draw a timeline of the history of affirmative action,
World War II and “Rosie the Riveter” using the handouts provided.
o If time/facilities permit, provide internet access for the groups to do
additional research.
o Provide markers and flipchart paper to each group.
o Give the groups 20-30 minutes to complete their timeline.
REPORTS:
o Have each group give a short presentation on their timeline.
o After each group has reported, conduct a discussion using the timelines for
comparing and contrasting historical points and the impact of key events.
o Summarize and highlight issues raised by the groups.
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
11
SESSION 2: Roots of Inequality
[2.5 Hours]
MATERIALS NEEDED:
 PowerPoint slides
 Projector and screen
 Flipcharts and markers
 Plain paper and masking tape
 Handouts:
o EX Myths and Facts
o EX Identifying Gender Neutral Terms
2.1
BARRIERS TO WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SKILLED TRADES JOBS
[30 Mins.]
ACTIVITY:
o In pairs or small groups, have students brainstorm barriers to the participation of
women and people of color in the skilled trades.
o Remind students this is a brainstorm – there is no right or wrong answer.
o Provide plain paper and markers for each team. Have them record their
responses on the paper – one idea per sheet, print, and use a marker.
o Examples if needed to spur discussion [Slide 9]:
- Lack of outreach and information
- Stereotypes and sex segregated vocational education
- Limited training and disparate impact of selection criteria
- Discriminatory hiring practices
- Differentiated on-the job training, hiring, job and overtime assignments
REPORTS:
o Have all the teams tape their sheets to the wall grouping like items.
o Ask for each team to review two of their responses and explain why they are
barriers.
o Review any additional points and summarize the discussion.
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
12
2.2
MYTHS AND FACTS
[30 Mins.]
ACTIVITY:
o Distribute the Myths and Facts worksheet.
o Divide students into pairs or small groups.
o Review the worksheet directions and read the “myths” out loud.
o Give pairs/groups 15 minutes to complete the worksheet.
REPORTS:
o Ask for volunteers to read the MYTH and share their FACT.
o Ask for feedback from the other groups.
o Ask for examples from the students.
o Summarize the discussion and review key points using [Slides 10 - 11].
2.3
IMAGES AND WORD ARE POWERFUL
[30 Mins.]
ACTIVITY:
Discussion - Multicultural Dynamics in the Classroom
o Keep students in the same groups from the previous exercise.
o Explain that during this discussion, we will focus on our experiences and
understanding of multiculturalism and diversity.
o In the small groups, have students discuss the following questions [Slide 12]:
- When did you first become aware of differences?
- What was your reaction?
- Were you the focus of attention or were others?
- How did that affect how you reacted to the situation?
- What are the “messages” that you learned about various “minorities” or
“majorities” when you were a child? At home? In school?
- Have your views changed considerably since then? Why or why not?
- Recall an experience in which your own difference put you in an
uncomfortable position vis-à-vis the people directly around you. What
was that difference? How did it affect you?
- Rate your level of comfort when you are the only: male, white person,
straight person, young person, of another religion.
REPORTS:
o Reconvene in the large group.
o Ask for volunteers to share the discussion from the small group.
o Ask for highlights, questions, interesting points, etc.
o Summarize the discussion and review the following:
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
13
2.4
GENDER NEUTRAL TERMS
[15 Mins.]
ACTIVITY:
o Distribute the Identifying Gender Neutral Terms exercise sheet.
o Review the directions and the “common terms” [Slide 13].
o Have students work in pairs to identify gender neutral terms.
REPORTS:
o Reconvene in the large group.
o Review the terms and ask for group responses on gender neutral terms.
o Ask students to identify other “gendered” terms in common usage and how they
might be changed to be gender neutral.
o Summarize the discussion and review [Slides 14].
2.5
UNPACKING THE INVISIBLE KNAPSACK
[30 Mins.]
Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack of Gender and Race Privilege [Slides 15-18]
ACTIVITY:
Ask students:
 Do we really live in a meritocracy?
 Unearned opportunities
 Legacy and privilege vs. affirmative action
Ask students to:
 Reflect on any “privileges” you may have based on gender, race, language,
sexual orientation, etc.
 Complete the following statement
o “I feel privileged because I am______________.”
 Make a list of as many of the privileges you have working in the construction
industry as you can think of and that are related to your gender/race or other
status.
2.6
SUMMARY AND CLOSING
[15 Mins.]
Review the key points of the module highlighting student and reinforcing key areas.
Ask students to reflect on what they have learned in the module and think of one word
to describe how they feel at the conclusion of this module.
Go around the room and have each student give their one word.
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
14
APPENDIX A – MODULE 1 MATERIALS GUIDE
The following is an outline of the file structure for Module 1 electronic resources. Some
resources are provided in both Word and PDF formats to allow for modification as needed and
to provide a formatted version for printing.
MATERIALS KEY
HO
Handout
EX
Exercise
REF
Reference Document
GUIDE KEY
BOLD
o BULLETED
[BRACKETS]
Folders / subfolders
Files
File format(s)
MODULE 1 – CULTURAL COMPETENCY

MOD 1 – FACILITATOR GUIDE
o [Word / PDF]


MOD 1 – Cultural Competency - Facilitator Guide
MOD 1 – HANDOUTS
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – EX Gender Equity Quiz
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – EX Identifying Gender Neutral Terms
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – EX Myths and Facts
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – EX Springboards for Discussing Discrimination
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – HO History of Affirmative Action
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – HO Ten Myths of Affirmative Action
o [Word / PDF]
MOD 1 – REF Gender Equity Quiz Answers
MOD 1 – RESOURCES
o [PPT]
MOD 1 – Cultural Competency – PowerPoint Presentation
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
15
APPENDIX B – RESOURCES AND REFERENCES
RESOURCES
Teaching Tolerance
A Project of the Southern Poverty Law Center
400 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 956-8200
www.tolerance.org
EdChange and the Multicultural Pavilion
http://www.edchange.org
Understanding Prejudice
www.UnderstandingPrejudice.org
REFERENCES
1.3 Cultural Competency
Developed by National Center for Cultural Competence 2002
Cross, Bazron, Dennis and Isaacs, 1989
1.4 Exploring Stereotypes
Adapted from Goldstein, S. B. (1997).
The power of stereotypes: A labeling exercise. Teaching of Psychology, 24, 256-258.
1.5 Discussing Prejudice
From www.UnderstandingPrejudice.org
1.6 Strategies for Addressing a Prejudiced Speaker
Adapted from: www.UnderstandingPrejudice.org
Plous, S. (2000). Responding to overt displays of prejudice: A role-playing exercise. Teaching
of Psychology, 27, 198-200.
2.3 Images and Words are Powerful
Adapted from: Teaching for inclusion (1998). Chapel Hill, NC: Center for Teaching and
Learning, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
WOW – Building Cultural Competency and Respect for Diversity
16
BUILDING CULTURAL
COMPETENCY AND
RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
Building Trades Multi-Craft Core Curriculum
BUILDING CULTURAL COMPTENCY AND RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY
Benefits for the Industry/Economy of Women’s
Participation in the Construction Sector

Benefits of Diversity in Workforce

Expanded Pool of Candidates

Increased Market Share

Public Image

Social Justice

Equal Employment Opportunity and
Affirmative Action Regulations

Community Benefit
Agreements/Project Labor
Agreements
The Importance of the Construction Industry to
Women’s Economic Equity
GENDER
EQUITY QUIZ:
Test your
knowledge!
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Women today earn, on average, how much for $1.00 earned
by men?
What is the wage disparity for African-American women?
What is the wage disparity for Latina women?
42% of all men earn over $50,000. How many women do?
Of the 440+ occupations, how many are the majority of
women working in?
What is the percentage of women in apprenticeship in 2010?
What is the percent of veterans returning from the war in
Afghanistan and Iraq that are female?
What is the lifetime difference in earnings of a woman working
in the trades vs. a woman in a traditional female job as a nurse
assistant?
Construction jobs account for what % of blue-collar jobs paying
wages above $20 per hour
The Importance of the Construction Industry to
Women’s Economic Equity
Gender
Equity Quiz:
1)
2)
3)
Answers
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
9)
Women on average earn 77% of men’s wages
African-American women earn only 68%
Latina women earn only 59%
9% and this was the ceiling, although it is the floor for male
workers.
77% of all women work in just 20 of 440 occupations
The percentage of women in apprenticeship in 2010 2.2%
14% of returning veterans are women.
The lifetime difference in earnings of a woman working in
the trades vs. a woman in a traditional female job as a
nurse assistant is $1,648,770
Construction jobs account for 11.0% of all blue-collar jobs
and 38.5% of blue-collar jobs paying wages above $20 per
hour
Lifetime Difference in Earnings for Women in
Traditional and Non-Traditional Jobs
Traditional
Nontraditional
Nurses Assistant - Entry
Apprentice Carpenter

$10.29 per hour**

$20,581 per year

$617,430 in 30 years

$15- 18/hr
Journey-level Carpenter

$37.77 per hour**

Hospital Nursing Assistant: $31,000

$75,540 per year

Certified Nurse Aide CNA $27,000

$2,266,200 in 30 years

Nursing Assistant CNA: $32,000


Long Term Care CNA: $34,000
Crew Leader/Foreperson:
$79,310

CNA HHA in Pennsylvania: $22,000

Superintendent: $ 85,000+
Earnings DIFFERENCE: $2,266,200 - $617,430 = $1,648,770
Are We Post-Racial Yet?
The majority
of Whites in
America,
including
school
administrators
and teachers,
understate the
extent of racial
discrimination
and prejudice
and believe
that all or
most of the
goals of the
civil rights
movement
have been
met.

Almost half of African Americans said that they had been victims of
discrimination within the previous month.

2008: 72% of Whites thought African Americans overestimated the amount
of discrimination against them. 82% of African Americans thought Whites
underestimated discrimination against Blacks.

2008: 26% of Whites said they had been discriminated against because
they are white.

2008: African Americans were more than twice as likely as Whites and
Hispanics to believe that African Americans would not “in their lifetime” or
never, achieve racial equality. In the same survey, Hispanics and Whites
were three times more likely than African Americans to say that African
Americans have achieved racial equality.

2007: A majority of African Americans, Hispanics and Asian Americans
viewed racial tensions as a “very important problem” and preferred doing
business with Whites rather than with members of racial groups other than
their own.

People of color were more likely to say that their race was part of their
personal identity.
History of Affirmative Action,
WW II and "Rosie the Riveter"

1941 - Executive Order 8802 - FDR-- requiring defense contractors to pledge
nondiscrimination in employment in government-funded projects. 1943 extended
coverage to all federal contractors and subcontractors.

1947 - President's Committee on Fair Employment Practices reported:




1942 African Americans = 3% of workers in defense industries
1945 = 8%.
Post war "the wartime gains of Negro, Mexican-American and Jewish workers . . . began to
disappear as soon as wartime controls were relaxed."
During WWII (post 1941) women were actively recruited into the workforce:
 1941 = 13 million women in workforce
 1943 = 15 million women in the workforce,
 1944 = 20 million women in the workforce, 6 million in factories.
 1940, women = 8 percent of total workers employed in the production of
durable goods. 1945 = 25 percent.

Worked operating machinery, buses, cranes, and tractors,

Built and repaired aircraft, dirigibles and gliders,

Worked in shipyards, munitions factories, lumber mills and steel mills

As welders, riveters, engineers

Benefited from on-site childcare
History of Affirmative Action
“Freedom is not
enough. You do
not wipe away
the scars of
centuries by
saying: Now, you
are free…
You do not take a
man who for
years has been
hobbled by
chains, liberate
him, bring him to
the starting line of
a race, saying,
"you are free to
compete with all
the others," and
still justly believe
you have been
completely fair.”
President Lyndon B.
Johnson 1965
1961 President John F. Kennedy's Executive Order (E.O.) 10925 used equal opportunity for the first time
by instructing federal contractors to take "affirmative action to ensure that applicants are treated
equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin."
1962 “Fewer Negro Plumbers and Electricians than Negro Ph’ds”. “Exclusion in the Craft Unions is so
Complete that segregation would be a step forward”
1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964, established the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
1965 President Johnson issued E.O. 11246, requiring all government contractors and subcontractors to
take equal opportunity to expand job opportunities for minorities. Establishes the Office of Federal
Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)
1966 President Johnson amended E.O. 11246 to include equal opportunity for women; federal
contractors were now required to make good-faith efforts to expand employment opportunities
for women and minorities.
1970 The Department of Labor, under President Richard M. Nixon, issued Order No. 4, authorizing
flexible goals and timetables to correct "underutilization" of minorities by federal contractors.
1971 Order No. 4 was revised to include women.
1972 Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibits discrimination based on sex in education and
training programs that receive federal funding or other assistance.
1978 The U.S. Supreme Court in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 912, upheld
the use of race as one factor in choosing among qualified applicants for admission.
1979 Weber case, the Supreme Court upheld an employer- and union-supported race-conscious,
affirmative action training program which gave preference to black workers.
I985 Reagan Administration attempts to rescind affirmative action
1996 California enacted Proposition 209 which prohibits all affirmative action programs in employment,
education, and contracting. The State of Washington followed suit as well, with Initiative 200. the
number of African Americans and Latinos admitted to California's top public universities quickly
plummeted.
Roots of Inequality: Understanding
Gender (In)Equity
BARRIERS TO
WOMEN’S
PARTICIPATION
IN SKILLED
TRADES JOBS






Lack of outreach and information
Stereotypes and sex segregated
vocational education/WIA
Limited training and disparate
impact of selection criteria
Discriminatory hiring practices
Differentiated on-the job training,
hiring, job and overtime
assignments
“deleterious impact of microinequities over time”
Myths and Facts
Blue collar work
is nontraditional
for women.
Women are not
strong enough to
do heavy labor.
Women won’t
like trades work.
FACT:
Many jobs now thought to be nontraditional
for women have been performed by women in
the past
FACT:
The strength requirements for nontraditional
jobs are often exaggerated. Many nontraditional
jobs are not much more physically demanding than
housework, and many traditional women’s jobs,
such as nursing and waitressing, are just as physically
demanding as some nontraditional jobs.
FACT:
Many women enjoy working with their hands
and working outdoors. They take great pride in
knowing that they have helped to build or create
something. Many tradeswomen report a high
degree of job satisfaction.
Myths and Facts
Women aren’t interested
in non-traditional jobs.
Women won’t want to
tolerate the working
conditions in maledominated blue-collar jobs.
Women’s family
responsibilities will
interfere with working
conditions and hours of
nontraditional jobs
FACT:
Many jobs now thought to be nontraditional for women
have been performed by women in the past. Often
women haven’t considered the possibility of these jobs
but once they are introduced to the opportunities they
are often quite interested in exploring more.
FACT:
Working conditions in many traditionally female jobs
require working in all weather, dirty, noisy, and
sometimes dangerous situations.
FACT:
Most working parents manage work and family
responsibilities and programs can link women to
resources to help identify support services for childcare
Multicultural Dynamics in the Classroom





Check out you own experience and understanding of
multiculturalism and diversity.
When did you first became aware of differences. What was
your reaction? Were you the focus of attention or were others?
How did that affect how you reacted to the situation?
What are the “messages” that you learned about various
“minorities” or “majorities” when you were a child? At home?
In school? Have your views changed considerably since then?
Why or why not?
Recall an experience in which your own difference put you in
an uncomfortable position vis-à-vis the people directly around
you. What was that difference? How did it affect you?
Rate your level of comfort when you are the only: male, white
person, straight person, young person, of another religion
Adapted from: Teaching for inclusion (1998). Chapel Hill, NC: Center for Teaching and Learning, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill.
Images and Words are Powerful
Businessman
Middleman
Cleaning Lady
Man Hours
Clergyman
Congressman
Craftsman
Manpower
Manning
Salesman
Stewardess
Fireman
Weatherman
Foreman
Supervisor/Manager
Workmen’s Compensation
Images and Words are Powerful
Business Manager/Executive
Housekeeper/Custodian
Clergy
Congressperson/Congression
al Representative
Skilled Worker/Artisan
Firefighter
Supervisor/Manager
Liaison/Intermediary
Working Hours
Staffing
Labor Force/Human
Resources/Workers
Sales Agent/Associate
Flight Attendant
Weather
Forecaster/Meteorologist
Worker’s Compensation
“Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” of
Gender and Race Privilege
To redesign social
systems we need
first to
acknowledge their
colossal unseen
dimensions.
The silences and
denials
surrounding
privilege are the
key political tool
here.
Adapted from Peggy
McIntosh -1988
Select one privilege that you never thought of or add one.

I can be confident that my co-workers won't think I got my job
because of my sex/race - even on a publicly funded project.

If I make a mistake on the job, I can feel sure this won't be seen
as a black mark against my entire gender/race’s capabilities.

Chances are my political and union elected representatives and
the bosses in my construction company are mostly people of
my own race/sex. The more prestigious and powerful the
elected position or job title, the more likely this is to be true.

I can go home from my job, apprenticeship class, or union
meeting without feeling isolated, out-of-place, out-numbered,
unheard, held at a distance, or feared.
“Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” of
Gender and Race Privilege
I have the
privilege of
being
unaware of
my privilege

I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a
credit to my race/gender.

The odds of my encountering sexual/racial harassment/graffiti
or slurs on the job are so low as to be negligible.

I am never asked to speak for all the people of my race or
gender.

I can be confident that the ordinary language of the
construction site will always include my gender: “Foreman,
Journeyman, Union Brotherhood, guys”

As a child, I could choose from an almost infinite variety of
children's media featuring positive, active, non-stereotyped
construction workers of my own race/sex. I never had to look
for it; male heroes were the default.

I will probably never be asked when I discovered I was
heterosexual
“Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” of
Gender and Race Privilege
Do we really
live in a
meritocracy
Unearned
opportunities
Legacy and
Privilege vs
Affirmative
action

I will never be expected to change my name upon marriage or
questioned if I don't change my name.

Every major religion in the world is led primarily by people of
my own race/sex.

I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials
that testify to the existence of their race.

I can go into a supermarket and find the staple foods, which fit
with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser's shop and find
someone who can cut my hair.

I can choose blemish cover or bandages in flesh color and have
them more or less match my skin.

I will never worry that I have to leave my religious group
because of my sexual orientation.
Cultural Competency
Homework
Activity:
What does
privilege
confer to
you?
1) Reflect on any “privileges” you may have
based on gender/race/language/sexual
orientation.
2) Complete the following statement “I feel
privileged because I
am______________”.
3) Make a list of as many of the privileges
you have working in the construction
industry as you can think of that are
related to your gender/race or other
status.
Gender Equity Quiz
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1. On average, women today earn ______% for every $1.00 earned by men.
a) 93% c) 77%
b) 52% d) 84%
2. African-American women earn ______% for every $1.00.
a) 34% c) 89%
b) 68% d) 72%
3. Latina women earn ______% for every $1.00.
a) 59% c) 76%
b) 22% d) 84%
4. 42% of all men earn over $50,000, ______% of women do.
a) 36% c) 9%
b) 17% d) 28%
5. 77% of all women work in ______ of the 440+ occupations.
a) 146 c) 237
b) 20 d) 300
6. The percentage of women in apprenticeship in 2010 was _____ %.
a) 6.9% c) 9.3%
b) 2.2% d) 12.4%
7. Women constitute _____ % of veterans returning from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
a) 14% c) 2%
b) 8% d) 24%
8. The difference in earnings of a woman working in the trades vs. a woman in a traditional female job as a
nurse assistant is $_________ over her lifetime.
a) $645,342 c) $362,489
b) $97,942 d) $1,648,770
9. Construction jobs account for _____ % of blue-collar jobs paying wages above $20 per hour.
a) 62.4% c) 38.5%
b) 9.6% d) 49.4%
GENDER EQUITY QUIZ
The Importance of the Construction Industry to
Women’s Economic Equity
Circle the correct answer for each question.
1. On average, women today earn ______% for every $1.00 earned by men.
a) 93% c) 77%
b) 52% d) 84%
2. African-American women earn ______% for every $1.00.
a) 34% c) 89%
b) 68% d) 72%
3. Latina women earn ______% for every $1.00.
a) 59% c) 76%
b) 22% d) 84%
4. 42% of all men earn over $50,000, ______% of women do.
a) 36% c) 9%
b) 17% d) 28%
5. 77% of all women work in ______ of the 440+ occupations.
a) 146 c) 237
b) 20 d) 300
6. The percentage of women in apprenticeship in 2010 was _____ %.
a) 6.9% c) 9.3%
b) 2.2% d) 12.4%
7. Women constitute _____ % of veterans returning from the Afghanistan and Iraq wars.
a) 14% c) 2%
b) 8% d) 24%
8. The difference in earnings of a woman working in the trades vs. a woman in a traditional female job as a
nurse assistant is $_________ over her lifetime.
a) $645,342 c) $362,489
b) $97,942 d) $1,648,770
9. Construction jobs account for _____ % of blue-collar jobs paying wages above $20 per hour.
a) 62.4% c) 38.5%
b) 9.6% d) 49.4%
Springboards for Discussing
PREJUDICE, STEREOTYPING, DISCRIMINATION
Student Instructions: This page contains an assortment of springboards for you to dive into a
discussion of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Feel free to discuss the questions in any
order or create springboards of your own. The key thing is not to answer all the questions, but to
have a good discussion in which everyone participates fully.
1. Is it possible to be free of prejudice? Have you ever met anyone who was?
2. Are you prejudiced? If so, what are some recent instances in which you behaved in a prejudiced
way? If not, how do you know that you're not prejudiced?
3. If you've behaved in a prejudiced way, what caused the prejudice, and what might reduce it?
How did other people respond to your behavior?
4. If a close friend or family member were to make a prejudiced comment, would you protest? Why
or why not? What about a stranger or acquaintance -- would you respond in that situation?
5. If you were to make a prejudiced comment at a party or among a group of friends, would your
friends say something?
6. Does the categorization of people always result in prejudice? What about categorizing people in a
positive way -- does that result in prejudice?
7. Are stereotypes ever a good thing? Have you ever tried to get people to stereotype you, either
positively or negatively?
8. Does the very categorization of people -- for example, as female, a college student, AfricanAmerican, or Texan -- necessarily rob them of individuality?
9. In general, which forms of prejudice seem to be declining over time, and which forms seem to be
persisting or increasing?
10. Which forms of prejudice most socially acceptable, and which are least acceptable? Why are
some forms more acceptable than others?
11. When, if ever, is it best to remain colorblind to race and ethnicity? When, if ever, is it best to
celebrate multicultural differences? Do the goals of colorblindness and multiculturalism conflict
with each other?
12. What do you think the most difficult aspect is of being a racial, ethnic, or religious minority
member? What is the most difficult aspect of being a majority group member?
Springboards for Discussing
SEXISM
Student Instructions: This page contains springboards for you to dive into a discussion of sexism.
Feel free to discuss the questions in any order or create springboards of your own. The key thing is
not to answer all the questions, but to have a good discussion in which everyone participates fully.
1. How much sexism is there in today's society? In general, is the amount of sexism increasing or
decreasing?
2. If you believe that racist advertisements, literature, and public speeches should be outlawed, do
you feel the same about sexist advertisements, literature, and speeches? And what about
pornography?
3. Is there such a thing as nonviolent pornography, or is pornography inherently violent?
4. Do you think it's sexist to advocate different gender roles for girls and boys?
5. Question for male students: What do you think the most difficult thing is about being a woman in
today's society?
6. Question for female students: In your experience, what is the most difficult thing about being a
woman in today's society?
7. Question for female students: What do you think the most difficult thing is about being a man in
today's society?
8. Question for male students: In your experience, what is the most difficult thing about being a
man in today's society?
Springboards for Discussing
CONTEMPORARY RACISM
Student Instructions: This page contains springboards for you to dive into a discussion of racism.
Feel free to discuss the questions in any order or create springboards of your own. The key thing is
not to answer all the questions, but to have a good discussion in which everyone participates fully.
1. Although old-style racism and the use of racial epithets have gradually diminished in many
countries, subtler forms of racism have flourished. Is this change an improvement?
2. Can people of color be racist?
3. Although many people are quick to detect and condemn instances of racial prejudice, White
privilege often goes undetected. What explains this difference?
4. What is the difference between equal opportunity and affirmative action? Do the two policies
contradict each other?
5. Is it racist for athletic teams to use names such as the Indians, Braves, and Redskins? If not, would
it be okay to use team names such as the Hispanics, Chinamen, or Blackskins?
6. Do you support or oppose the idea of racial profiling (for example, greater scrutiny of Arab
passengers) in airport security?
Springboards for Discussing
HETEREOSEXISM
Student Instructions: This page contains springboards for you to dive into a discussion of
heterosexism. Feel free to discuss the questions in any order or create springboards of your own.
The key thing is not to answer all the questions, but to have a good discussion in which everyone
participates fully.
1. What is the difference between heterosexism and homophobia?
2. Can homosexuals change their sexual orientation if they want to? And if so, can heterosexuals do
the same?
3. Should discrimination based on sexual orientation be outlawed to the same extent as
discrimination based on race and sex?
4. Are equal rights possible when homosexual behavior is illegal?
5. If people believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible, is it prejudiced for them to:

regard homosexual behavior as sinful?

view homosexuality as an abomination before God?

support the death penalty for homosexual behavior?
6. Is it okay for people in the gay community to use terms such as "fag," "dyke," and "queen" while
at the same time criticizing the use of these terms in the straight community?
7. How have the gay community and gay rights movement improved the life of non-homosexuals?
8. How have heterosexism and homophobia hurt non-homosexuals?
HISTORY OF AFFRIMATIVE ACTION
Reference
1941
President Franklin D. Roosevelt issues Executive Order 8802 requiring defense
contractors to pledge nondiscrimination in employment on government-funded
projects.
1943 Executive Order 8802 coverage extended to all federal contractors and subcontractors.
During WWII (post 1941) women were actively recruited into the workforce:
o 1941 13 million women in the workforce
o 1943 15 million women in the workforce
o 1944 20 million women in the workforce - 6 million in factories
o 1940 Women represent 8% percent of total workers employed in the
production of durable goods
o 1945 Women represent 25% percent of total workers employed in the
production of durable goods
o Worked operating machinery, buses, cranes, and tractors
o Built and repaired aircraft, dirigibles, and gliders
o Worked in shipyards, munitions factories, lumber mills, and steel mills
o Worked as welders, riveters, and engineers
o Benefited from on-site childcare
1947
President's Committee on Fair Employment Practices reported:
o 1942 African Americans represent 3% of workers in defense industries
o 1945 African Americans represent 8% of workers in defense industries
o Post war "…the wartime gains of Negro, Mexican-American and Jewish
workers... began to disappear as soon as wartime controls were relaxed."
HISTORY OF AFFRIMATIVE ACTION
Reference
“Freedom is not enough. You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: Now, you are
free to go where you want, do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please. You do not take
a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the starting line of a
race, saying, "you are free to compete with all the others," and still justly believe you have been
completely fair. Thus it is not enough to open the gates of opportunity...”
- President Lyndon B. Johnson 1965
1961 President John F. Kennedy's Executive Order 10925 used equal opportunity for the first
time by instructing federal contractors to take "affirmative action to ensure that
applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national
origin."
1962 “. . . there are fewer Negro plumbers or electricians than Negro Ph.D.s.” “Exclusion in the
craft unions is so complete that segregation would be a step forward”
1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964 enacted; establishes the Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission.
1965 President Johnson issued Executive Order 11246 requiring all government contractors
and subcontractors to take equal opportunity to expand job opportunities for
minorities; establishes the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP).
1966 President Johnson amended Executive Order 11246 to include equal opportunity for
women; federal contractors were now required to make good-faith efforts to expand
employment opportunities for women and minorities.
1970 The Department of Labor, under President Richard M. Nixon, issued Order No. 4,
authorizing flexible goals and timetables to correct "underutilization" of minorities by
federal contractors.
1971 Order No. 4 was revised to include women.
HISTORY OF AFFRIMATIVE ACTION
Reference
1972 Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibits discrimination based on sex in
education and training programs that receive federal funding or other assistance.
1978 The U.S. Supreme Court, in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke (438 U.S.
912), upheld the use of race as one factor in choosing among qualified applicants for
admission.
1979 Weber case, the Supreme Court upheld an employer and union-supported raceconscious, affirmative action training program which gave preference to black workers.
I985
Reagan Administration attempts to rescind affirmative action.
1996 California enacted Proposition 209 which prohibits all affirmative action programs in
employment, education, and contracting. The State of Washington followed suit with
Initiative 200. The number of African Americans and Latinos admitted to California's top
public universities quickly plummeted.
TEN MYTHS ABOUT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
MYTH #1: The only way to create a color-blind society is to adopt color-blind policies. Although
this assertion sounds intuitively plausible, the reality is that color-blind policies often put racial
minorities at a disadvantage. For instance, all else being equal, color-blind seniority systems tend to
protect White workers against job layoffs, because senior employees are usually White. Likewise,
color-blind college admissions favor White students because of their earlier educational
advantages. Unless pre-existing inequities are corrected or otherwise taken into account, colorblind policies do not correct racial injustice—they reinforce it.
MYTH #2: Affirmative action has not succeeded in increasing female and minority representation.
Several studies have documented important gains in racial and gender equality as a direct result of
affirmative action. For example, according to a recent report from the Labor Department,
affirmative action has helped 5 million minority members and 6 million White and minority women
move up in the workforce. Likewise, a study sponsored by the Office of Federal Contract
Compliance Programs showed that between 1974 and 1980 federal contractors (who were required
to adopt affirmative action goals) added Black and female officials and managers at twice the rate
of noncontractors. There have also been a number of well-publicized cases in which large
companies (e.g., AT&T, IBM, Sears Roebuck) increased minority employment as a result of adopting
affirmative action policies.
MYTH #3: Affirmative action may have been necessary 30 years ago, but the playing field is fairly
level today. Despite the progress that has been made, the playing field is far from level. Women
continue to earn 70 cents for every male dollar. Black people continue to have twice the
unemployment rate of White people, half the median family income, and half the proportion who
attend four years or more of college. In fact, without affirmative action the percentage of Black
students on many campuses would drop below 2%. This would effectively choke off Black access to
higher education and severely restrict progress toward racial equality.
MYTH #4: The public doesn't support affirmative action anymore. This myth is based largely on
public opinion polls that offer an all-or-none choice between affirmative action as it currently exists
and no affirmative action whatsoever. When intermediate choices are added, surveys show that
most people want to maintain some form of affirmative action. For example, a recent Time/CNN
poll found that 80% of the public felt "affirmative action programs for minorities and women should
be continued at some level.” What the public opposes are quotas, set asides, and "reverse
discrimination." For instance, when the same poll asked people whether they favored programs
"requiring businesses to hire a specific number or quota of minorities and women," 63% opposed
such a plan. As these results suggest, most members of the public oppose extreme forms of
affirmative action that violate notions of procedural justice—they do not oppose affirmative action
itself.
TEN MYTHS ABOUT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
MYTH #5: A large percentage of White workers will lose out if affirmative action is continued.
Government statistics do not support this myth. According to the Commerce Department, there are
fewer than 2 million unemployed Black civilians and more than 100 million employed White civilians
(U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1994). Thus, even if every unemployed Black worker were to displace a
White worker, less than 2 percent of Whites would be affected. Furthermore, affirmative action
pertains only to job-qualified applicants, so the actual percentage of affected Whites would be a
fraction of 1 percent. The main sources of job loss among White workers have to do with factory
relocations and labor contracting outside the United States, computerization and automation, and
corporate downsizing.
MYTH #6: If Jewish and Asian Americans can rapidly advance economically, African Americans
should be able to do the same. This comparison ignores the unique history of discrimination
against Black people in America. As historian Roger Wilkins has pointed out, Blacks have a 375-year
history on this continent: 245 involving slavery, 100 involving legalized discrimination, and only 30
involving anything else. Jews and Asians, on the other hand, have immigrated to North America—
often as doctors, lawyers, professors, entrepreneurs, and so forth. Moreover, European Jews are
able to function as part of the White majority. To expect Blacks to show the same upward mobility
as Jews and Asians is to deny the historical and social reality that Black people face.
MYTH #7: You can't cure discrimination with discrimination. The problem with this myth is that it
uses the same word—discrimination—to describe two very different things. Job discrimination is
grounded in prejudice and exclusion, whereas affirmative action is an effort to overcome prejudicial
treatment through inclusion. The most effective way to cure society of exclusionary practices is to
make special efforts at inclusion, which is exactly what affirmative action does. The logic of
affirmative action is no different than the logic of treating a nutritional deficiency with vitamin
supplements. For a healthy person, high doses of vitamin supplements may be unnecessary or even
harmful, but for a person whose system is out of balance, supplements are an efficient way to
restore the body's balance.
MYTH #8: Affirmative action tends to undermine the self-esteem of women and racial minorities.
Although affirmative action may have this effect in some cases, interview studies and public opinion
surveys suggest that such reactions are rare. For instance, a recent Gallup poll asked employed
Blacks and employed White women whether they had ever felt that others questioned their
abilities because of affirmative action. Nearly 90% of respondents said no (which is
understandable—after all, White men, who have traditionally benefited from preferential hiring, do
not feel hampered by self-doubt or a loss in self-esteem). Indeed, in many cases affirmative action
may actually raise the self-esteem of women and minorities by providing them with employment
and opportunities for advancement. There is also evidence that affirmative action policies increase
job satisfaction and organizational commitment among beneficiaries.
TEN MYTHS ABOUT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
MYTH #9: Affirmative action is nothing more than an attempt at social engineering by liberal
Democrats. In truth, affirmative action programs have spanned seven different presidential
administrations—four Republican and three Democratic. Although the originating document of
affirmative action was President Johnson's Executive Order 11246, the policy was significantly
expanded in 1969 by President Nixon and then Secretary of Labor George Schultz. President Bush
also enthusiastically signed the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which formally endorsed the principle of
affirmative action. Thus, despite the current split along party lines, affirmative action has
traditionally enjoyed the support of Republicans as well as Democrats.
Myth #10: Support for affirmative action means support for preferential selection procedures
that favor unqualified candidates over qualified candidates. Actually, most supporters of
affirmative action oppose this type of preferential selection. Preferential selection procedures can
be ordered along the following continuum:
Selection among equally qualified candidates- The mildest form of affirmative action
selection occurs when a female or minority candidate is chosen from a pool of equally
qualified applicants (e.g., students with identical college entrance scores). Survey research
suggests that three-quarters of the public does not see this type of affirmative action as
discriminatory.
Selection among comparable candidates- A somewhat stronger form occurs when female or
minority candidates are roughly comparable to other candidates (e.g., their college entrance
scores are lower, but not by a significant amount). The logic here is similar to the logic of
selecting among equally qualified candidates; all that is needed is an understanding that, for
example, predictions based on an SAT score of 620 are virtually indistinguishable from
predictions based on an SAT score of 630.
Selection among unequal candidates- A still stronger form of affirmative action occurs when
qualified female or minority candidates are chosen over candidates whose records are
better by a substantial amount.
Selection among qualified and unqualified candidates- The strongest form of preferential
selection occurs when unqualified female or minority members are chosen over other
candidates who are qualified. Although affirmative action is sometimes mistakenly equated
with this form of preferential treatment, federal regulations explicitly prohibit affirmative
action programs in which unqualified or unneeded employees are hired.
TEN MYTHS ABOUT
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION
Even though these selection procedures occasionally blend into one another (due in part to
the difficulty of comparing incommensurable records), a few general observations can be
made. First, of the four different procedures, the selection of women and minority
members among equal or roughly comparable candidates has the greatest public support,
adheres most closely to popular conceptions of procedural justice, and reduces the chances
that affirmative action beneficiaries will be perceived as unqualified or undeserving. Second,
the selection of women and minority members among unequal candidates—used routinely
in college admissions—has deeply divided the nation (with the strongest opposition coming
from White males and conservative voters). And finally, the selection of unqualified
candidates is not permitted under federal affirmative action guidelines and should not be
equated with legal forms of affirmative action. By distinguishing among these four different
selection procedures, it becomes clear that opposition to stronger selection procedures
need not imply opposition to milder ones. What is needed, I would argue, is less of an effort
to caricature affirmative action and more of an effort to discuss which of its many forms is
beneficial.
MYTHS AND FACTS
Women in the Trades
WORK TOGETHER IN YOUR SMALL GROUP TO DEBUNK EACH MYTH:
MYTH: Blue collar work is nontraditional for women.
FACT: __________________________________________________________________
MYTH: Women are not strong enough to do heavy labor.
FACT: __________________________________________________________________
MYTH: Women won’t like trades work.
FACT: __________________________________________________________________
MYTH: Women aren’t interested in non-traditional jobs.
FACT: __________________________________________________________________
MYTH: Women won’t want to tolerate the working conditions in male-dominated blue-collar jobs.
FACT: __________________________________________________________________
MYTH: Women’s family responsibilities will interfere with working conditions and hours of
nontraditional jobs.
FACT: __________________________________________________________________
IDENTIFYING GENDER NEUTRAL TERMS
Worksheet
Common Term
Businessman
Cleaning Lady
Clergyman
Congressman
Craftsman
Fireman
Foreman Supervisor/Manager
Middleman
Man Hours
Manpower
Manning
Salesman
Stewardess
Workmen’s Compensation
Gender Neutral Term