are couples becoming more equal Flashcards
what 3 areas are couples seen to be becoming more equal?
- Impact of paid work
- Responsibility of Children
- Taking responsibility for ‘qualitytime’
what is the march of progress view on couples becoming more equal?
Young and Wilmott argue that women going to work is leading to a more equal division of labour.
The march of progress view argues that men are becoming more involved in housework and childcare, just as women are becoming more involved in paid work outside of the home.
what is the feminist view on couples becoming more equal?
• Women going into paid work has not led to greater equality in the division of domestic labour.
• There is no sight of this ‘new man’
• It has resulted in women having a dual burden.
• Allan (1985) - even in families who do have a more ‘equal’ divide, women’s tasks such as washing and cleaning are less satisfying than the chores men do.
what did Ann oakley find about the impact of paid work?
she concluded that working women suffered a dual burden. By this she meant that as well as paid work, they also complete the bulk of the housework and childcare too. She found that, while some men might ‘help’ with chores, very few did significant amounts of work.
what did Pahl find about the impact of paid work?
Pahl (1989) found that unemployed men did more domestic work than employed men, but wives of unemployed men still did most of the housework, even when they were employed.
what did Gershuny find about the impact of paid work?
found that the longer a women has been in paid employment the more housework her husband tended to do, therefore there is a trend towards equality.
what two questions do feminists ask to determine whether couples are becoming more equal?
Who takes responsibility for the children?
Who takes responsibility for managing ‘quality time’
why?
These questions require emotion work
hoschild
emotion work- Women have to manage the emotions and feelings of family members whilst subsequently supressing their own emotions.
Duncombe and Marsden (1995)
Women have to perform a triple shift of housework, paid work, and emotion work.
evidence for taking responsibility of quality time
Southerton (2011)- men usually had ‘blocks’ of free leisure time, where as a women’s leisure time is likely to be interrupted by children, therefore supporting the dual- burden.
taking responsibility for children
Boutlon (1983)- although fathers are performing specific childcare tasks, it is still the mother that is in charge of their wellbeing and security.
Southerton (2011)- men usually had ‘blocks’ of free leisure time, where as a women’s leisure time is likely to be interrupted by children, therefore supporting the dual- burden.
Ferri and Smith (1996) -Fathers take responsibility for childcare in less than 4% of families
Dex and Ward (2007)- 78% of fathers would play with their 3 year-olds
Only 1% would care for them when sick.
Braun, Vincent & Ball (2011)- 3/70 families studied has the father as main carer.
Most were ‘background fathers’ with a ‘provider ideology’. (helping with childcare is more about their relationship with their partner.)
Mothers saw themselves as primary carers due to ‘intensive mothering’ media messages telling them how to be good mothers.
Crompton and Lynette (2008)
cultural and material explanation of couples becoming more equal
cultural explanation for couples becoming more equal?
Cultural or ideological explanation - Patriarchal norms and values shape gender roles so women are expected to do more domestic labour and have been socialised to do so.
- According to this view, equality will be achieved when norms and gender roles change.
material explanation of couples becoming more equal
Material/economic explanation – Women generally earn less than men so it makes financial sense for them to do more housework/childcare, whilst men spend their time earning money.
-According to this view, if women join the labour force and earn as much as their partners, we should expect to see more equal amounts of domestic chores
