To all our female workers...

Earlier this week, I rode the train and saw a woman in her late 30s- early 40s wearing her black and red McDonald’s uniform and riding to work. The sight of this beautiful woman triggered an emotion inside of me, which was offset by questions in my head: Did this woman have a family at home? Did she enjoy her job? How much was her salary? How long had she been in this country? What was her birthplace country? How was she treated there? These were all questions that I would never know the answer to.
This woman was a representation of thousands of women in this capitalistic society who are forced to work menial jobs earning a quarter of a living. I know too many women who have families to raise, but are often forced to take time away from their children so they can have some pocket money. Why is it fair for them to make the bare minimum? Is society dictating to these women that their self worth is valued at $7.50 an hour? This woman cooks your food, takes your money (which she will never benefit from), and serves you with a pleasant smile. All so you can feel comfortable with the exploitation that just occurred.
Have you ever thought about the pain this woman faces as unsatisfied customers hurl insults at her? The wounds of our words can cut so deep that she internalizes derogatory comments made about her. As she puts on her uniform for work and brushes her hair she looks into her own eyes in the mirror. She wishes every day that someone will see the great person she is inside, the goals she has set for herself, the journey she survived to the USA on a raft-like boat. Her makeup becomes her war paint as she prepares for battle every afternoon to serve hundreds of folks each day. Some never saying “Thank You” because, of course, it is what is expected of her. This woman is human and has had life experiences. She is strong and diligent in her work because she hopes for a better way for her children.
Yeah, we can all take the route of saying, “We all have choices” or “She could have stayed in her country.” But, just like her, we are all trying to find a way to live in this world. So as you see someone who serves you today, know that that person is a beautiful soul. Someone who has the right to be respected. Today I say, “Thank You”-- to all the housekeepers, babysitters on Park Ave., food workers at McDonald’s, women who sell fruit on the side of the street, women who push their icy carts, women who take my plate as I am finished in a restaurant…and you are respected.