Topic: Employment Issues

The U.S. unemployment rate rose to 9.8% in November and fewer jobs were added than predicted, according to a grim report released by the U.S. Department of Labor this morning. But alongside continually disheartening news about our economy are articles that trumpet women’s growing economic power, like The Rise of the Sheconomy, published in TIME last month. The gist of that article, and many others like it, is that women hold the reins to our economy through their overwhelming consumer power. Even in categories that are normally considered male territory, like tech gadgets and cars, female shoppers hold overwhelming influence over how to spend. And now, they’re also the primary earners.