Bookkeepers Quote by Vivian Gornick
“Women occupy, in great masses, the 'household tasks' of industry. They are nurses but not doctors, secretaries but not executives, researchers but not writers, workers but not managers, bookkeepers but not promoters.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: "The End of the World as We Know It" by Vivian Gornick, 1991
Society assigns women to supportive, low‑status roles despite their capabilities, reinforcing gender hierarchy.
In simple terms: Women are often given secondary jobs.
Key Takeaway
Challenge gendered role expectations.
Themes
gender inequality
workplace
social roles
women's rights
occupational segregation
Mood
frustrated
determined
Type
critical
analytical
When to use this quote
- career planning
- policy advocacy
- education reform
- organizational change
Key Concepts
feminist theory
structural bias
role theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How do these role assignments affect women's career trajectories?
- What policies could break these patterns?
A Different Perspective
Progress can be limited by entrenched cultural norms and institutional inertia.
![“Any small business owner wears many hats. We [New View Window Cleaning] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you aren't organized and willing to do all these things (at least in the beginning) you are better off working for someone.” quote by Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afd/tony-evans-1635_better-off_any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats_78297.jpg)
