Women in border situations are rarely discussed within the context of history and in both of these chapters much of the struggles that women at the border go through are clearly explained. We clearly see that the border creates a great division between the United States and Mexico, causing a division in culture and gender roles. Not only that but what I was amazed by was that there is a great a political boundary between these two countries in a way that the cities that are closest to the border in which immigrants that reside with in have very poor government help. The government has cut off public funding, welfare and other policies that affect already poverished families being those of illegal immigrants. This causes non-citizens particularly the immigrants from Mexico to be targeted by the US government. One great thing in which immigration often impacts on women is that they are able to challenge tradition. Females cross the border to take advantage of the different opportunities that the United States offers. Such as those of better jobs("manquiladoras"), a better education for their children yet some of these females do not fight for their wages and are stuck with low paying jobs in which they are able to earn more yet they do not realize this.
In chapter two The Unsettling, Gendered Consequences of Migration for Mexican Indigenous Women, women deeply described their feelings about leaving their lands and moving to as they described it the "global world." One way in which one woman described it as was by "..it was like ripping away something very dear to us" even though they love their land/home it is always the best to leave their motherland to that of many dreams in which we call the United States. Getting here is a struggle and these females do it by building social networks. They have no idea of where they are headed to yet once they get there they know they have the support from others and realize that they aren't alone anymore. One way in which life differs from a woman in Mexico vs the United States is that of chores. Work is harder in Mexico such as in preparing food and washing clothes. Yet some immigrant females today still have that mentality of doing what is expected as a woman. What mainly falls into place with that is the male dominance with in this culture. Females do not have a voice and always follow that of their husbands word, they have power over them. Yet what has happened today is that immigration has had an impact on women in a way that those traditions are starting to diminish. But there is con because these females are now viewed as disrespectful, crazy and out of the ordinary because they leave those traditions behind. In the end immigration has led to many differences with in the Mexican community, women are starting to be aware of their rights and now follow their voices and beliefs.
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Women are begining to realize that they can challenge their husband and think for themselves, I think it is the beggining of a new era, the "Machista" era is coming to and end and the new era of mutual agreement between couples is starting to rise. It is differnet in boarder communities though. Maquiladoras have revolutionaized the way business is done in boarder towns and women and children have suffered for it. I agree that women are being taken advantage but the same thing is happening to children. Women and children are being payed lower wages and are preffered by the foreman becaue they have smaller hands and can work in smaller spaces. Sexual abuse is usually pretty prevelent, if women complain or say something they will no longer have a job, this could mean they wont eat or manybe they wont have a place to live. Maquiladoras ar just taking advantage of poverty and exploiting the women and children workers because they are backed up by crooked police for a couple of bucks.
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