Silencing the Seamstress: Gendered Discourses of Skill and Exploitation in Garment Factories

Abstract

This scholarly article examines the gendered discourses surrounding skill and exploitation in garment factories. Drawing on critical feminist and postcolonial scholarship, it argues that dominant narratives about garment workers often portray them as unskilled and passive victims of exploitation. This article challenges these narratives by highlighting the skilled labor performed by garment workers, particularly women, and exposing the power dynamics that perpetuate their exploitation. Through an analysis of case studies and empirical data, it demonstrates how gendered ideologies and power structures within the garment industry contribute to the devaluation of women's work and their vulnerability to exploitation. Finally, the article proposes alternative frameworks for understanding and addressing the exploitation of garment workers, emphasizing the importance of recognizing their agency and advocating for their rights.