Last night 2 of my sons and I watched a movie entitled Under the Same Moon
together. Since they are both taking Spanish in High School, and this movie was in Spanish with English sub titles, I'd thought it would be a good experience. It turned out better than I expected since I really liked the movie. The movie provides a glimpse into the life of an illegal immigrant from Mexico and her family. It's a slice of life we may not routinely encounter.In the movie the main character has 2 housekeeping jobs in people's homes. One of the homes seems to have rather nice people and in the other home the lady of the house treats her like a non person. This got me to thinking.
When I was working my way through college I worked for one year as a housekeeper in people's homes. I hated the way most of the people treated me (I remember saying to myself something to the effect that I was going to college so I didn't have to take jobs like this because I did not want to do this forever!) Because of this experience I always went out of my way to connect with the housekeepers in the facilities I ran and to make sure that they knew I appreciated their work.
But I've noticed that a lot of times people act like housekeepers are invisible.
I think we assume that people ignore housekeepers, or treat them like non-persons, due to feelings of entitlement. While that may be true in some cases, I think a lot of middle class, working people, behave this way because they are uncomfortable with someone cleaning their stuff, knowing about them on that level.
Why do you think we act like some people are invisible?
7 comments:
When I was a maid at a resort, and later a janitor, I preferred that people treat me like I wasn't there. It made it easier to get the job done, but maybe it was how I was raised.
Maybe it is because these people see how we really are. Not the well dressed perfectly coiffed person we show others, but the slob that is in all of us.
I see your point Alice, but at least a passing glance, a kind smile and the occaisional "how-ya-doin?" would be nice, wouldnt it?
You mean those people never even did that? It's the ones that wanted to stop and chat I had problems with.
Alice, it seems to me that sometimes certain people don't even want to make EYE CONTACT with domestic help anymore. Nevermind actually say 'hi' to them
JD maks my exact point. Of course you can't stop and talk, the person is working. But I can make eye contact and smile.
I think that "Under the same moon" used the whole housekeeper thing as a symbol of how our society ignores immigrants (not to mention anyone else who doesn't fit in such as the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, etc.)
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