Gender (In)Equality in the Undocumented Youth Movement

• In Event: No Way: Mass and Elite Resistance to the Neo-Populist Agenda

Abstract

The literature on social movements has often noted the prevalence of women among activists, especially in the immigrant movement. This is also the case for the undocumented youth movement, where women tend to outnumber men, often due to the fact that they outnumber them in higher education where the movement recruits many of its members. This paper looks at the issues faced by the young women of the movement, especially in terms of workload distribution, visibility, and representation. The paper argues that systemic inequality and traditional gender roles prevent young women from taking on more leadership roles in the movement, thus dramatically weakening their skills development and affecting their chances of turning their involvement into a full-time occupation.

The paper offers a comparison of two state-level coalitions working to increase undocumented youths’ access to college, one in the state of New York and the other in New Jersey. Results are based on data from field research conducted between 2012 and 2015, including participant observation in state-level campaigns, and interviews with over 130 immigrant youths, community organizers and elected officials. Gender issues were prevalent in both state coalitions, as males tended to be the most visible individuals of the campaigns and females took a step back. Women were more likely to handle day-to-day activities of the campaign, such as setting up meetings and organizing transportation, whereas males tended to be overrepresented in leadership roles involving contacts with elected officials or the media. The paper shows that while these issues were present in both states, they were addressed differently depending on the political context of each state as well as the resources and the age of each coalition.

Author

• Fanny Lauby, William Paterson University