Not A Rosie Picture for All

While I like to be upbeat and optimistic about the increase in wealth of women, I do need a reality check on for which segments of the female population is this the case. Increases in wealth is not for all women. An article in the SignonSanDiego.com highlights the challenges women are facing with the current tightening of the economy. A Rockerfeller Foundation study produced these following results:

• One in five women had a medical prescription she couldn't afford to fill in the past year, compared with one out of eight men.
• One in eight women reported that she couldn't afford to take a child to the doctor during the past year, compared with one out of 16 men.
• One in 14 American women went hungry at some time last year because of lack of money, compared with one out of 25 men.
• More American women – 56 percent – are worried about cutbacks to Social Security than men, at 41 percent. One reason for this disparity is that half of retired women count on Social Security as a major source of income, compared with 38 percent of retired men. And one reason for that is that more men have employment-provided retirement savings plans, at 61 percent, than women, at 51 percent.

Keeping gender successes in perspective is important, and with success we've got to remember how to give back and create benefits for all, to strengthen overall society.