gender roles Flashcards
Young and Willmott(1973) - ‘The symmetrical family’
•Modern families are a marriage of equals. Partners have the ability to share household chores, childcare and decision making; there is little ‘division of domestic labour’
•This is shown by women taking on traditional ‘men’s work’ especially outside of the home and men doing ‘women’s work’ inside the home such as shopping and childcare.
• The symmetrical nuclear family is the result of major social changes that have taken place over the past century.
changing status of women and it’s relationship to paid employment - Laurie & Gershuny (2000)
•domestic labour has traditionally been viewed as inferior to paid employment
•Feminism has brought attention to inequalities in the home and workplace, raising expectations for woman.
•women seek increased independence and status through work meaning increased authority in the family, in recognition of the importance of their earnings.
Laurie & Gershuny (2000) wives moved into paid employment or from part to full time employment women did less housework and men did more.
improved living standards and the commercialisation of housework - Schor (1992)
•Modern technology has encouraged ‘home centeredness’, home is a comfortable place to be and this helps to build relationships.
• Consumer goods and services have reduced the time consuming drudgery of housework.
E.g. washing machines, freezers, convenience foods, online shopping.
• Schor (1992) Housework is easier and less skilled, encourages men particularly if technological.
weakened gender identities - Warde and Hetherington (1993)
• individuals construct their own identity through the choices that they make.
• There is less constraint on ‘masculine’ and ‘feminine’.
•Warde and Hetherington (1993) found that younger men no longer assumed that women should do the house work.
• In 2000 a study of a 1000 adults found 60% men claimed to do more housework than their father.
oakley (1974)
•argued that Young and Willmott’s claims were exaggerated:
•Their interviews had shown that husbands helped their wives at least once a week; this could include simply taking the children for a walk or making the breakfast on a single occasion.
• In her own research, only 15% of husbands had a high level of participation in housework and 25% had a level of participation in childcare.
the changing status of women and its relationship to paid employment: working women + the triple shift - Duncombe & Marsden (1955)
•Duncombe & Marsden (1955) many women have 3 jobs - paid work, domestic labour and emotional work.
•provide moral support and love.
• make sacrifices if money is tight and ensure everyone is fed and clothed.
•housework may affect wages, reduce the amount of energy and flexibility. presence of / age of the youngest effect whether women are in paid employment.90% men not affected.
problems with the concept if the commercialisation of housework - schor (1992)
- higher living standards now seem to be driving higher expectations about the home
- Schor points out that how more time is spent on housework or if you are well off you can afford to pay others to do it.
persistent gender stereotypes -Taylor-Gooby (2005)
- found that while public attitudes increasingly assume a high degree of gender equality in paid work, there was still a widely held belief among the public that women should be responsible for the care of the home and young children.
- Asked whether mothers should work, nearly half thought that mothers should stay at home while children are under school age.
patriarchy, unequal power and ‘the dark side’ of the family - Dobash and Dobash
•Despite the ideology of the ‘cereal packet family’, the family can be a hostile and dangerous place.
• It is estimated that ¼ women and 1/6 men will suffer some form of domestic violence at some point in their relationship.
•Dobash and Dobash (1992) argue male violence in the family is the means by which women’s subordinate role is enforced. Power through control over your partner’s actions, thoughts and emotions is about showing women who is in charge.
