Are Couples Becoming More Equal?

Question 1

The march of progress view on women in work

Answer 1

-more women in work = more equal division of labour at home
British Social Attitudes survey:
-fall in the number of ppl who think it’s man’s job to earn money + woman’s job to look after home + family
-1900s, males=45% + females=41%
-2000s, males=13% + females=12%

Question 2

Feminist view of women in work

Answer 2

-More women in paid work has not lead to greater equality of the division of labour
-Little sign of the “new man”, so women now carry a dual burden
-British Social Attitudes survey:
women do twice as much as men in both housework a week and in caring for family members (60% women found this unjust). This shows women are still responsible for emotion work so take on triple shift
-Even if some men do housework, couples still divide household tasks along traditional gender lines so men perform more satisfying jobs such as fixing stuff whereas women have to clean dishes.

Question 3

1st reason + explaination for gender division of labour

Answer 3

Cultural explanation for gender division of labour:
W perform more domestic labour bc that’s what society expects them to do and has socialised them to do

This means that equality can only be achieved when norms about gender roles change. This involves a change in m+w’s attitudes, values + expectations, role models + how both genders are socialised.)
Evidence:
-Gershuny found couples whose parents had more equal relationships, more likely to share housework equally themselves. This shows the importance of parental role models.
-shows social values are gradually adapting to women working full time, establishing the new norm that men should do more domestic work

Question 4

2nd reason + explaination for gender division of labour

Answer 4

Economic explanation of inequality:
-Fact that women generally earn less than men means it is economically rational for women to do more housework + childcare while men spend more of their time earning money

This means that equality will be achieved when women who join the labour force earn as much as their partners
Evidence:
Arber + Ginn found better paid, middle class women were more able to buy products and services , such as labour saving devices, ready meals and domestic help + childcare, rather than having to spend their own time doing labour-intensive work
-however, women continue to earn less than men in 7/8 households bc women, especially with young children work part time, so no immediate prospect of gender equality if it depends on economic equality