Chapter 7: Women and Men Summary and Analysis

Much of the analysis of sexual relationships have been produced from a male perspective, and thus Stack decided that her analysis would be from a female perspective, in part because most of her closest contacts were women. Various factors militate against permanent, long-lasting relationships between men and women in the Flats. First of all, the earning power of men is severely limited, since few can find non-seasonal jobs. The welfare system, which awards eligibility in part on the number of people living in a household, thus unintentionally penalizes such long-term relationships; if a woman finds herself living with a boyfriend, and he makes no money, then not only is her income stretched to include him, but it may be taken away altogether, or at least reduced. While children often will reside with their father's kin...