From Black Girl to Roma: Domestic Workers and the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity, Class, and Gender

Abstract

Despite attempts in the last decade to improve the conditions of paid domestic work, it remains a low-status job that is poorly paid, and domestic workers are exposed to exploitation across the world. This article analyzes two movies, Black Girl and Roma, to explore how domestic workers are reflected in cinema. The objective is to address the question “Who does the paid domestic work?” through the movies. The analysis of these movies suggests that there is a clear distinction between domestic workers and their employers defined by the intersection of race/ethnicity, class, and gender.