Since learning about Handcrafting Justice last class, I have been curious about the gender roles that go into Fair Trade and how big of an impact Fair Trade plays in changing the lives on women in particular. That being said, when I read the following lines from this week’s reading I became very interested. “Women are rarely highlighted in the Bible. Lydia, like Fair Trade business women, attracted attention and set an example.” “We would consider it a spiritual benefit because we can lift out heads and be looked upon with dignity. Because we can look up at our husbands and they have to look back at us with full respect.”
If I were to make a list for rules to live by in my future, remaining financially independent, especially from a future spouse, is very important to me. It isn't even something that I would have to remind myself of because it’s such a given, perhaps because it is so attainable. Admittedly, while reading “The New Conscious Consumer: Expanding Economic Justice Through Fair Trade” and learning much more than I ever knew about Fair Trade, enabling the Fair Trade workers to escape poverty and provide for their families was all I seemed to think the goal of Fair Trade was. Of course, that is no small goal. However, until I read the aforementioned section I did not think about the gender barriers that these women face as well, and how important and probably how rare it is that they, as women, be supporting themselves and their families financially in this way. It is important that women in fortunate enough places such as America, who are working hard to erase gender barriers, take advantage of every opportunity given to them. However, it is SO important that we do not forget that the struggle continues in many other areas of the world even as ours diminish. This concept applies to all struggles, and that is what Fair Trade is all about.
One of the struggles between political parties in America at the moment has to do with social programs and what the right (meaning both ethical and effective) thing to do about the very low standard of living among an abundance of the population is. Do we raise minimum wage? Do we tax the rich even more? Though this is not the space to go into that discussion, I did find a statement in the reading “The New Conscious Consumer: Expanding Economic Justice Through Fair Trade” to be very interesting, and perhaps present a system (Fair Trade) that shows that there is a solution to this problem if we all work hard and work together. “Fair Trade is not about give and take; it’s not about handouts. It is about mutuality and respect because we need each other.” “Fair trade encourages artisans to work together rather than compete with one another. Groups have to do their own quality control. When one helps another become more skilled, one strengthens the group.”
These statements are so incredibly inspiring to me. They make me think that it is possible that with the growth of Fair Trade will not only come the intended outcomes within developing countries that are involved but lessons learned amongst already developed countries who think they even know what poverty is. I have the following questions that perhaps will be answered as the school year progresses. I am certainly aware that I am not the first person to ask these questions and recognize that I am currently ignorant in this subject: In what ways can “Fair Trade” become a term that people in developed countries all know the meaning of and understand the added bonus fairly easily? In what ways will, God willing, the expansion of Fair Trade and hopefully one day even Fair Trade becoming the norm effect how developed nations conduct businesses and deal with social issues like those that exist in America right now. Finally, from a totally business perspective, I have been wondering how these products can be marketed in a way that attracts people who are simply looking for beautiful toys or well-made beach bags, with the added bonus of being Fair Trade products, instead of searching directly for Fair Trade as their first priority. I would imagine that the former would be much more popular and effective for the time being while Fair Trade as a concept is still an unknown for many people.
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