Sandberg, Feminism and the Politics of Class

Sheryl Sandberg, perhaps the country’s most prominent female tech executive, aspires to share her secrets through success via a new social movement.

But while her prescriptions for women to “Lean In” to their careers involve personal choices and mind-sets, critics say that her prescriptions, which call for women to learn how to compete better without naming a role for government, reflect a privileged perspective that fails to see beyond the mansions of Silicon Valley, where capitalism is king.

The debate over the politics of class played out on NYTimes.com and Facebook in reaction to Jodi Kantor’s Friday article. Here are some excerpted highligts of the discussion; join in here.

I haven’t read whether or not this woman worked her way through her degrees, or was burdened by college debt. I have no doubt that she’s intelligent but I know a lot of intelligent women who are struggling because of college debt and an economy that makes degrees almost useless. If she wants to create a movement (the ego implication is astounding) she should be setting up something like Pell Grants or other ways to help women become successful. I’m pretty sure that lectures on (once again) what we’re doing wrong, aren’t going to help.
â€" ellen, L.A., C.A.

I welcome Ms. Sandburg’s perspective. So what if she is now rich, or that she is smart. Male CEOs write business self-! help books all the time and no one comes down on them for being too rich or smart. …

Too often women in the workplace lack mentors to help navigate the parts of the workplace that has to do with everything other than doing a good job. We too often work too hard, erroneously assuming that simply doing a good job will earn us the reward. …

Without the support of government, corporations and society as a whole, women can’t hope to achieve what they could without such support. We should work on that also, but it doesn’t obviate the need to be effective in our personal interactions in the workplace as well.
â€" Sandy Lynn, Illinois

Will the consciousness-raising group offer backup childcare And make sure they don’t schedule meetings the same night as mandatory basketball tryouts Even though the McKinsey consultants are helping my husband’s boss compil this year’s ‘yank and rank’ layoff list, I”ll remind him to leave work early so I won’t miss my meeting.
â€" mw, New York

I feel very lucky in that my parents could afford to send me to college, I am white, and I started investing early. All you ladies out there, sexism is bad enough; just wait until ageism is thrown in. References to being “technologically challenged,” when I am the only one in the office able to pick up a phone and sell $50,000 worth of product in one call. Being referred to as a “mother hen,” when the younger women are in tears in the bathroom. Being told “don’t break a hip” when you go out into an ice storm.

Save your money now; max out your (401)k, put aside $50-$100 a month and live within your means if at all possible. That’s my advice.
â€" Marie, Vail

As a 50-year-old woman graduating from college with a Bachelor of Science degree in advertising and public relations this coming May, this article was of particular interest. I am starting a new chapter of my life after raising a family. Sandberg’s insistence that women could get ahead if only they worked harder is reminiscent of views of blacks in the 1970s. This statement rubs women, who work hard, raise families and live well-rounded lives, the wrong way. The fact that Sandberg has “help” to maintain her household and raise her children makes her lifestyle foreign to the majority of women in the United States.
â€" Lori F., Lebanon, Mo.

I can only cheer this on, but the criticism of Freidan was that her movement was, if not elitist, then only for middle class women who could afford theleisure to cultivate feminist philosophy. Sandberg appears even more vulnerable to criticism. It can be said that she followed a male pathway to success, using feminist rhetoric. This proves the efficacy of the male pathway. Those who always thought the equal does not mean identical, will not be accepting. Those who still suffer inequality may not identify with Ms. Sandberg. Perhaps she could relinquish her pinnacle.
â€" welshmx, alaska

I say good for her - I hope these smart, wealthy privileged women keep talking to themselves - and then when they are done talking - do something important - like run for President of the United States and win.

Because I think for women it is going to be “top down” progress or nothing at all…
â€" VJO! , DC