"Women a driving force behind higher volunteerism rate"

More from the "They're just plain better" Dept., here. At least this time it's sort-of-kind-of acknowledged that one reason you see men volunteering less is, *shocker*, they're out earning the money that women spend or have spent on them. Still, it doesn't stop the article from touting women as being so much better than men, but of course, they are also under so much pressure to be good volunteers. Read:

'WASHINGTON — Looking for volunteers?

The person most likely to say yes is a married white woman between 35 and 44 who’s a college graduate, works part time and has at least one child under 18, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey released last month.

For millions of women who fit that profile, the findings are no surprise. They know the social pressure to help out as classroom moms, PTA volunteers, sports team coaches, snack moms at soccer games, cookie sale coordinators for the Girl Scouts and a multitude of other self-sacrificing assignments.
...
Fran Weisberg, co-chair of the Women’s Leadership Council of the United Way of Greater Rochester, said she was not surprised by the Bureau of Labor Statistics findings.

“I believe there is something unique, a certain empathy and caring that we as women have, either through our personal experiences or a sense of understanding and compassion,” she said. “I do believe women are more apt to volunteer and to give and say ‘I believe I can make a difference in the lives of others.’”'

Galled?

Read this:

'Nationally, men volunteered at a rate 6.4 percentage points lower than women, according to the federal survey. And their participation was almost unchanged from the year before.

Westchester County resident Diane Luftig, 42, of New Rochelle said her husband, Larry, would volunteer more but doesn’t have the time. He works long days as a banker, heading out at 5:30 a.m. weekdays to commute to lower Manhattan’s financial district.

Allison DiMarco, 40, of Penfield cites the same issue — long work hours — as the major obstacle for her husband, Rich, who works in construction.

“The men have to be the breadwinners,” she said.'

On the surface, somewhat "vindicating", as if it's presumed all good people do or should volunteer. (What would that famous female economist, Ayn Rand, have said about such a statement, I wonder?). I'll tell you what galls me about that statement: It's the presumption that men HAVE to be the breadwinners. No, we don't. Fact is, we can be whatever the hell we feel like being and if others don't or won't accept it, then bye-bye to them.