Casino Women Review

Oppression, inequality, discrimination, greed and ignorance, these themes have permeated human existence since Cain murdered Abel. Throughout history and especially today, it seems institutionalized oppression is a fundamental constituent of human relations; power, everyone wants power and will stop at nothing to get it. Today, global institutions of power, monetary, political, corporate, you name it--operate within incomprehensibly colossal realms. The very systems that control the well being of the planet seem so far beyond reach of individuals, and they are; yet every so often, an underdog defies the status quo and succeeds.

The book, Casino Women: Courage in Unexpected Place, written by social work professors at the University of Reno, Susan Chandler and Jill B. Jones, illustrates an amalgamation of micro-progresses within gender, health, fair-wage and human rights issues in an unusual setting for social activism, the casinos of Las Vegas. In the words of the authors, “Casino Women… is the story of women moving, and sometimes not moving, in the context of enormous corporate power”(174). In this essay I will first give a sweeping description of the women’s stories; I will then continue to dig into a few major resonating themes, mainly systemic oppression, gender and racism; I will finish with a reflection on autonomy and how this concept can provide a basis for a social action.  

            Casino Women dives into every facet of gaming culture from the unique perspective of the female workforce: back-aches, butt-grabs, blisters, high-heels, big deals, carcinogens, addictions, hirings, firings, cycles of confrontation and submission. Whether the women were Black, White, Latino or Asian, whether they were back of house, front of house, a manager, dealer, pit boss or cocktail waitress, their myriad of stories weaves an intricate tapestry with some common social justice themes. For one, many women gave different reasons for entering the field: easy money, easy immigration, or an overall ‘why not?’ attitude. Deteriorating physical health was described as a usual bonus to casino work; majority of corporations met this with indifference, claiming ‘non-responsibility.’ Women’s family and social lives suffered because of hours, other jobs, or chronic physical and emotional exhaustion. Above all, most women expressed feeling that the casinos did acknowledge them as human beings; they unanimously felt like their (literally) backbreaking work meant nothing to the corporations except that, ‘they could increase their quota.’

            Since this book was written about women, by women, it only seems fitting to address the feminist theme of inequality, particularly within race and gender. Feminist theory advocates universal fairness and equal opportunity for all of humanity. Humans, not only women, should be able to choose a dignified life that is worth living and in those choices they have the fundamental right to be respected by virtue of their intrinsic value. Despite these intuitive truths, unfortunately, in Las Vegas and globally, gender and racial disrespect remains societally ubiquitous. There are a multitude of examples throughout the book of this: from sexual advances on cocktail waitresses, to mandated ‘look your best’ workshops, and with fresh immigrants being taken advantage of. Even as a white woman, I encounter the oppressive system of patriarchy every day, by my peers, through pop culture, in job opportunities. Yet I cannot fathom the double or even triple whammies some of these women have to wrestle with every day: minority ethnicity, ‘less-than-ideal’ physical appearance, immigration status, language barriers, disabilities, sexual orientation etc. Whilst reading this book I had a breakthrough insight, despite the mountainous challenges every woman had to face in simply being herself, their vulnerabilities became their strengths in the face of patriarchy when they acted and supported each other as a unified whole. These women showed how racism, xenophobia and sexism could be conquered through communication, empathy and respect.

            The last sentiment is a prime segway into another theme I will address, institutionalized oppression and violence. I think one of the biggest tools mega-systems have for perpetuating dysfunctional ideologies is their ability to break people down, isolate them, and make them feel small in the face of white masculine power; in the words of Eduardo Galeano in The Book of Embraces, “Our system is one of detachment: to keep silenced people from asking questions, to keep the judged from judging, to keep solitary people from joining together,”(1). Yet this story has been told time and time again, when the oppressed ban together, they realize they are and were always more powerful than the oppressor.

Fear, among other negative emotions, is a very powerful motivator for maintaining oppressive regimes. Many of the women remained in these debilitating work environments because they were scared of what would happen if they did speak up or make a change. This is how corruption wins. On the other hand there were huge feats accomplished by unions and women who banned together to demand justice.

If there is one thing I have learned from this semester it is that the antidote to fear is hope. Women who joined the union or stood up for themselves had hope—a vision for a better life for themselves, for their families or for future casino employees. Hope is cultivated through human connection, support and compassion; in the words of Bertold Brecht, “the compassion of the oppressed for the oppressed is indispensable, it is the world’s one hope” (174). It seems once the ‘empathy ball’ is rolling, change through activism is just another beautiful byproduct. As was described by Chandler and Jones, there was a certain, “joy of comradship,” and ““having stood up once against corporate power, the women could stand up again,” (174).

            This brings me to a pair of concepts, of which I am enlightened as to their essentiality more every day: autonomy and connection. At first thought, it seems these two are mutually exclusive, but I would like to argue that they are inextricably linked. To be autonomous, one is respected, individually, communally, institutionally; one has the freedom to dictate your life-path; one can choose to actualize a sense of wellbeing and contentment; one has the freedom to strive for and achieve life-goals. Since I believe we are fundamentally relational beings, I don’t think it is possible for humans to flourish autonomously unless a community of other flourishing humans supports us. There of course is always a contradiction in this dialogue because humans, while we are dependent on connection through relationships, we are faced with the existential dilemma of infinite loneliness--a dynamic exhibited by many of the women. In this vulnerable truth, we seek comfort in the knowledge that every individual is alone, by virtue of this you are not alone in your fear—we can seek comfort and make sense of life’s scary facets through each others’ support. The human experience, while phenomenologically unique to every individual, is comprised of some key components in which we can relate to and reinforce one another in. I believe realizing functional autonomy through the medium of mutual support is a quintessential factor of our experiential essence and a necessary basis for any social change. The following quote eloquently expresses the delicate intricacy flowing between these vital forces,

“It appears life is not so simple, that we are in touch with our neighbors, and that to ignore their suffering in some way fundamentally compromises our own well being and certainly our ability to be authentic. For if we remain silent when another is abused, we become in some terrible way complicit. Our relations with others take on a surface quality, and we are constrained form talking about what is real. Only in stepping forward can we be authentic and avoid becoming alienated from others, our work, and ourselves. And it is only in being authentic, in acting, that we can find genuine connection with each other. The relationship between acting and love is…an affirmation of the connections among us all that are so endangered in a world dominated by corporate values” (175).

In Brené Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection, mentions how she views love as an act. If we truly love ourselves, our families, our environment, our humanity, we shall act in ways that promote the flourishing of these things. Brené’s idea resonated with my understanding of social activism because I have come to understand the most basic form of activism as an expression of how one lives. If you act and live by the values you advocate, this is the basis for communal change. It seems that simply by virtue of living, if our actions exemplify certain moral truths, we can raise consciousness. In a global system designed to silence you, living and acting authentically through your values is the hardest feat any human could undertake. Casino Women is a source of inspiration for this type of existence, “don’t sit alone declining to act, for a committed life is so much more joyous than a life of self-protection and consumption, and connection with each other in struggle so much more rewarding than lives lived alone,”(177). Even in the face of uncertainty, the voices of Casino Women, reiterate again and again the old adage, “money isn’t everything.”

Another meaningful nugget I have taken away from Casino Women is the idea that social change on a grand scale is truly an amalgamation of micro-awareness among individuals. In other words, I am sure not many people in our country have ever heard of the Culinary Union in Las Vegas, or of the strike that lasted seven years, or of Darlene Jespersen v. Harrah’s Entertainment Inc., but these are huge feats for social justice. I am inspired to believe that there is change happening! Just because it doesn't make the six o'clock news doesn't mean that marginalized or oppressed people aren't supporting each other through everyday struggles. This support in itself is a type of social change, where compassion is cultivated in communities.

The women of Casino Women represent some key ingredients for social change: collective power, discipline, transformation, compassion, willingness, and perseverance. While those concepts are certainly essential, I believe autonomy and authenticity within the individual should be the basis of any social action--in order to change the world we first have to change and align with true selves. Once we are authentic and respecting of ourselves we can truly recognize other individuals as autonomous beings deserving of a dignified existence. And it is in the nuanced realm of respect where connection is fostered—these connections can expand to raise consciousness and ignite change. To live authentically is to live autonomously, and to live autonomously is to be in sync with oneself within the context of a supportive community.