Mary almost found herself unable to afford a roof over her and her children's heads. Gender is treated with due realism in Waging a Living, which does illustrate the special struggles that women face. Being a single mother is a major issue correlated with poverty. Women face challenges not only when they are single mothers, though. Access to promotions and positions of power is systematically more difficult to acquire for women, who still earn less than their male counterparts. Gender bias is built into the system.

Among the possible policy changes that could reduce income disparity and reduce the numbers of working poor in the United States, one main one suggested in Waging a Living is providing universal access to medical and child care services. If access to health care becomes framed...

Similarly, single moms should not have to worry about taking care of their kids and working at the same time. Another policy initiative suggested by the profiles in the movie would be to increase access to educational services. Upgrading skills and providing job training are important means of self-empowerment, and can increase access to jobs with better wages and more options for advancement. Ultimately, the filmmakers could not address all aspects of poverty in the United States. The film does address the intersections between race, class, gender, and power -- which are the main issues related to the failure of the American Dream.