Assigning Care: Gender Norms and Economic Outcomes
Author(s)
Badgett, M. V. Lee; Folbre, Nancy
Abstract
In societies that link femaleness to familial altruism, women tend to be disproportionately represented in caring occupations. This reinforces occupational segregation, sex-based pay differentials and the very norms that dictate appropriate behaviour for women and men. The authors’ research on the interaction between marriage markets and labour markets shows another reason why such gender norms are resistant to change. Their analysis of the relationship between caring labour, social norms and economic outcomes leads them to advocate not only reassigning responsibilities for care, but specific measures to protect caring work, including strict quality standards on the provision of marketed care.