Pie-Mary and Gender Roles

A Southern Indiana tradition revolves around political candidates’ wives baking pies in a contest known as the Pie-Mary. Leslie has decided to skip the Pie-Mary contest so she can help Ben with his campaign, but it’s turned into a big ordeal. She ties to change her mind and enter the Pie-Mary, but that angers another group of people. Regardless of her decision, someone is upset and it distracts from Ben’s campaign. Leslie and Ben finish the episode with a press conference where Leslie points out that people should be allowed to do whatever the wish. Socially defined gender roles like the ones portrayed in the episode highlight some of the issues facing women in the labor market.

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Why No Female Garbage Collectors?

During a gender equality meeting, Leslie points out that the Sanitation Department has only one female employee, and she’s a secretary. Leslie questions whether the Sanitation Department is discriminating against women in the well-paid job of garbage collector, but the office workers claim its because not enough women apply for the job because it’s physically demanding.

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