Domestic division of labour

• Why are the roles changing?

  -Economically active women- with women going out to work more men do more house chores

  -Decline in the extended family- With fewer family members around for help couples need to be more equal

  -Weakening gender identities- with the rise of gender neutrality in the terms of role and jobs

  -Technology and living standards- increased technology so some of the jobs no longer need to be done
• Traditional views-

  -Instrumental- male, breadwinner

  -Expressive- female, emotional and caring
• Decision making in the family (money)-

  -McIntosh and Barret- men gain more from women's unpaid labour and in allowance situations men don't give adequate financial compensation.

  -Kempson- Women in low income families are only just trying to make sure ends meet.

  -Pahl and Volger- Allowance system- men give wives a certain amount of money each week.

  Pooling- all money goes into a central pot.
• March of progress view-

  Families are becoming more equal leading to a move away from separate conjugal roles.
• Decision making in the family-

  -Edgell- very important decisions are taken by men, day to day decisions are taken by women

  -Laurie and Gurshunny- 70% couples said they had equal say in family decisions by 1995

  -Feminists- Decision making isn't linked to money but cultural expectations of a patriarchal society and gender role socialisation
• To what extent has the level of change in the domestic division of labour been made exaggerated?

  (NO) - Wilmott and Young- Rise of symmetrical family- 70% of women of working age now have jobs, 36% of families say the male is the main carer.
• To what extent has the level of change in the domestic division of labour been made exaggerated?


  (YES)- Dual burden and triple shift- Bray field- Found that even in dual career families women do the majority of domestic labour
• To what extent has the level of change in the domestic division of labour been made exaggerated?


  (NO) -British Social Attitudes survey- Certain household tasks have become more equal than others
• To what extent has the level of change in the domestic division of labour been made exaggerated

  (YES) -Views on housework- Oakley- jointly doesn't mean equally
• To what extent has the level of change in the domestic division of labour been made exaggerated

  (YES) -Same sex couples- gay couples are more symmetrical than heterosexual ones