Gender as the Most Important Dimension of Inequality Flashcards
What is the main point about gender inequality in employment?
Women experience occupational segregation and the gender pay gap, reinforcing economic inequality.
What is vertical segregation, and how does it affect women?
Williams
Women are underrepresented in senior positions due to the “glass ceiling,” which prevents career progression. The “glass cliff” suggests that when women do reach senior roles, they are often placed in high-risk or failing organisations.
What does the Dual Labour Market Theory say about gender inequality?
Barron and norris
Primary market: Secure, high-paying jobs (dominated by men).
Secondary market: Low-paid, insecure jobs (dominated by women).
Women are concentrated in secondary roles, reinforcing long-term wage inequality.
What are some examples of gender inequality in employment?
ONS (2004): Women make up 50% of the workforce but only one-third of managerial roles.
Gender Pay Gap: Full-time women earn 18% less than men; part-time women earn 40% less.
How does gender inequality in employment affect women?
Women’s career progression is systematically blocked, reinforcing long-term financial dependence on male partners.
Employers assume women will take career breaks, leading to fewer promotions and pay rises.
Is gender the most important dimension of inequality in employment?
Class can be more significant: Working-class men also face limited job opportunities and low wages.
Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989): Ethnicity and disability compound inequalities (e.g., Black women earn less than White women).
Exceptions: Some women break through the glass ceiling (e.g., Margaret Thatcher, Kamala Harris), showing barriers can be overcome with privilege, class, and education.
P2:What is the main point about gender inequality in education?
Women outperform men in education but still face gendered subject choices and career disadvantages.
Q: How do gendered subject aspirations affect career choices?
Sue sharpe:
Girls are socialised into ‘feminine’ career aspirations (e.g., teaching, caring roles).
Boys are encouraged into STEM subjects, which offer higher earning potential.
What is subject segregation, and how does it affect women?
STEM fields: Male-dominated (e.g., 76% of physics students are male).
Humanities and social sciences: Female-dominated (e.g., 70% of English Literature students are female).
This limits female participation in high-paying industries.
What are some examples of gender inequality in education?
Achievement Gap: 59% of girls vs. 48% of boys achieve 5+ A-C GCSEs (DfE, 2004).
University Participation: Women outnumber men in higher education except in STEM fields (Higher Education Statistics Agency, 2004).
How does education reinforce gender inequality?
Even though women outperform men in school, societal pressures push them into lower-paid careers.
Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989): Race and class also shape educational inequality (e.g., Black Caribbean boys have the lowest GCSE results).
Is gender the most important dimension of inequality in education?
Ethnicity plays a crucial role: Black and minority ethnic students face additional barriers.
Class is significant: Middle-class girls outperform working-class boys, showing economic background matters just as much as gender.
P3: What is the main point about gender inequality in domestic roles?
Women still take on the majority of unpaid domestic labour, limiting their career opportunities.
What is the “triple shift,” and how does it affect women?
Duncombe & Marsden, 1995)
Women experience:
Paid employment
Unpaid domestic labour
Emotional labour (caring for children & family members).
This limits their career progression and economic independence.
What does Cultural Lag Theory say about gender roles?
Gershuny
Despite social progress, attitudes towards gender roles remain traditional, reinforcing women’s responsibility for housework and childcare.
What are some examples of gender inequality in domestic roles?
ONS (2016): Women spend 60% more time on housework and childcare than men.
How does domestic inequality affect women’s careers
Women’s economic independence is restricted due to disproportionate responsibility for domestic tasks.
Lack of structural support (e.g., affordable childcare) forces women to take career breaks, reducing their earnings potential.
Is gender the most important dimension of inequality in domestic roles?
Ethnicity affects domestic roles: South Asian families often have stricter gender roles, while Black families may have more egalitarian structures.
Class shapes domestic inequality: Working-class women are more likely to rely on low-paid jobs and lack financial independence compared to middle-class women.
