Just DON'T Do It

Worker exploitation in the international realm is a problem in our economy that has existed for decades. Companies want to create the most products at the lowest cost and this will never change. These two chapters focused on the exploitation of women exclusively which I found very interesting. When I personally think of worker exploitation, a specific demographic does not come to mind. I do not imagine young women, old men, children, boys or girls. I think of all people, so the specific focus on women in South Korea and the changing role of young women was very remarkable. These women sent to urban environments to work in factories sewing sneakers in order to serve their families. They uprooted their lives while also changing their entire view of what being a good daughter and future wife entailed, and the elite men noticed this and took full advantage of it. A part that jumped out to me was: “These elite men knew that women who were focused on their daughterly responsibilities and on marriage dowries were women who were not likely to strike for decent pay, for the right to unionize, or for democratic reforms” (Enloe 63). The shift in focus of working women in South Korea made women more independent while also making them more unequal.  

The thing that bothered me the most in this chapter was that Nike was one of the footwear companies exploiting women in South Korea, among other places across the world. The fact that it was Nike was disturbing because of Nike’s current strive for women’s strength and their various campaigns towards the female body and having a woman be comfortable with her own body. The advertisement that came to mind was the one of the women’s butt and the text that starts with “My Butt is big” and ends with “And those who might scorn it, are invited to kiss it. Just do it.” I believe this ad is empowering to women because it invites women who are not model-thin to be comfortable in their bodies. Nike has many other ads expressing the power of women and their ability to be as strong and athletic as men, that it shocks me they would exploit women in the workplace so harshly. But we must realize that the chapter in the book describes the factory work in the 1980s and so much has changed since then. Also, is it possible Nike does not know the goings on in their factories overseas? If this connection is made public, Nike is going to find them in quite the conundrum.