Last week, staff of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (@TheDailyShow) tweeted: “Tonight: States struggle to balance budgets. pH-balance, that is. You try creating a budget strong enough for a man, but made for a woman!”
A silly tweet riffing off an old Secret deodorant commercial, but it got me wondering… what would a budget strong enough for a man but made for a woman actually look like? It is easy enough to identify policies that are made for a woman – policies women think would help them support themselves and their families.
Based on polling results, women want policies and investments that improve economic security for more women (and men) and improve supports for families, including paid leave (family, sick and safe) and affordable child care.
For example, according to a June 2010 poll by Lake Research Partners:
• More than half (55 percent) of women think it is time for government to take a larger or stronger role in making the economy work for the average American.
• More women (79 percent) than men (68 percent) think equal pay and benefits for men and women should be top policy agenda item.
• More women (57 percent) than men (44 percent) think available and affordable child care should be a top policy agenda item.
To me, the better question is: When will men, who still hold the majority of policy decision-making positions, be strong enough to enact a budget made for a woman?
Gwen Rubinstein is a Program Officer at Washington Area Women’s Foundation.
Photo credit: Twitchery on Flickr
