Jacqueline+Scott

Jacqueline Scott University of Cambridge
 * Family and Gender Roles: How attitudes are changing **


 * Talking to the experts **

Questions related to the topic Gender Roles (Letter of Intentions):

Do we still have to deal with this topic today?

- “But undoubtedly __ideology__ is changing, and gender patterns of domestic behavior are also changing, albeit very slowly and with men changing less quickly and to a lesser extent than women”

- “The Spanish __‘housework law’__, as it is dubbed, might have greater symbolic value than influence on court judgments”

-" … Marriage can be subtracted from sexuality, and that in turn from parenthood; parenthood can be multiplied by divorce, and the whole thing can be divided by living together or apart”

(Beck, 1992:116).

- ¨It seems likely that this trend towards __increased rejection of traditional gender roles__ will continue. Both secularization and increased education are working in the same direction to challenge __traditional gender role ideology__. What is not clear, however, is whether and how shifts in gender role ideology will pan out in terms of a more __equitable gender division of labor__.¨

How do the gender roles now look like?

- “...data do not support the claim that there has been a revolutionary change in attitudes towards family behaviors and sexual values”

- “demise of traditional family values has been exaggerated”

- “…the importance of family life is declining, with dire consequences for social integration.”

- ¨Even for the most liberal countries it is wrong to assert that old proscriptions and prescriptions about sexual morality have been abandoned. Extramarital sex is almost universally condemned. Homosexual relations are regarded with suspicion by a majority in most nations.¨

- “Inspired by Hirschman’s famous title ‘Exit Voice and Loyalty’, they discuss three potential responses to the disquiets that might arise as women suffer the __dual burden__ of increased labour force participation and continuing domestic responsibilities.”

Have we reached equality of men and women yet?

- “Paternity leave in Britain is somewhat similar, with its symbolic importance far greater than its puny entitlements. But such policies do help shift expectations and this in turn may make public opinion more willing to embrace future efforts to reduce gender inequalities”

- “The theme of the __changing role of women__, both in terms of individual autonomy and in terms of __female emancipation__ has been a core part of the conceptualization of what some demographers call the ‘second __demographic revolution__.”

- “There have also been important socio-legal changes in the family domain that reflect and encourage new moral stances regarding family related issues and behaviors”


 * Key terms: **

I underlined the key terms in the first part of my summary and in my opinion they appear in a self-explanatory way in the used quotes before.

- __ ideology __

__ - ‘housework law’ __

__ - increased rejection of traditional gender roles __

__ - traditional gender role ideology __

__ - equitable gender division of labor __

- __ dual burden __

__ - changing role of women __

- __ female emancipation __

Most important passages, which were used for this task and are important for the essay:

¨But the data do not support the claim that there has been a revolutionary change in attitudes towards family behaviors and sexual values. This cross-national analysis of attitudinal change suggests that the demise of traditional family values has been exaggerated. Is the same true of gender role attitudinal change? Some have claimed that, in this age of new individualism, ascribed gender roles are undermined. Others are rightly skeptical about the extent of change (Nolan and Scott 2006). But undoubtedly ideology is changing, and gender patterns of domestic behavior are also changing, albeit very slowly and with men changing less quickly and to a lesser extent than women. The virtue of cross-national research is that it allows a glimpse of the way normative climates may vary in part because of different traditions and policy regimes. Ingelhart and Norris (2003) have described the rising tide of gender equality. They rightly point out that tides can ebb and flow, with some reversals in the opportunities for men and women to share work and family life more equitably.

The Spanish ‘housework law’, as it is dubbed, might have greater symbolic value than influence on court judgments. Paternity leave in Britain is somewhat similar, with its symbolic importance far greater than its puny entitlements. But such policies do help shift expectations and this in turn may make public opinion more willing to embrace future efforts to reduce gender inequalities.¨ (p. 16)

¨The general pattern of change in household and family structures in Western

European families has seen marriage rates fall, divorce and cohabitation on the

increase and a marked drop in overall fertility, despite the increased numbers of

children born out of wedlock. Such trends are used as evidence that the importance of family life is declining, with dire consequences for social integration. The theme of the changing role of women, both in terms of individual autonomy and in terms of

female emancipation has been a core part of the conceptualization of what some

demographers call the ‘second demographic revolution’. This refers to the changing

demographic patterns since the 1960s including high divorce, decreasing fertility,

4 increased cohabitation and delayed marriage (Lesthaeghe, 1995). These

demographic changes are intertwined with changing ideologies concerning the

importance of marriage and motherhood. There have also been important socio-legal

changes in the family domain that reflect and encourage new moral stances regarding family related issues and behaviors.¨ (p. 3)

¨The weakening of taboos concerning issues related to family and sexuality has

become central to depictions of contemporary ‘risk’ society, where the individual is

faced with a far greater range of acceptable choice. Beck suggests that as

modernization proceeds, the decisions and constraints to decide multiply in all fields

of social action, but especially with regards to sexuality and the family. He writes:

“With a bit of exaggeration one could say, ‘anything goes’… Marriage can be

subtracted from sexuality, and that in turn from parenthood; parenthood can be

multiplied by divorce, and the whole thing can be divided by living together or apart”

(Beck, 1992:116). (p. 5)

¨The results suggest that it is not generational change but secularism that

provides the strongest challenge to family values.¨( p. 12)

¨Even for the most liberal countries it is wrong to assert that old

proscriptions and prescriptions about sexual morality have been abandoned. Extramarital

sex is almost universally condemned. Homosexual relations are regarded with

suspicion by a majority in most nations.¨ (p. 12)

¨Changing Gender Role Attitudes

It is quite clear that attitudes on gender roles are changing. One of the best measures

of gender role ideology is the item that asks whether people agree or disagree ‘that a

man’s job is to earn money and a woman’s job is to look after the home and family’.¨ (p. 13)

¨It seems likely that this trend towards increased rejection of traditional gender roles

will continue. Both secularization and increased education are working in the same

direction to challenge traditional gender role ideology. What is not clear, however, is

whether and how shifts in gender role ideology will pan out in terms of a more

equitable gender division of labor.¨ (p.13)

¨New research from the Network shows that while

there has been immense shifts in women’s lives, in the way family and work

responsibilities are combined, the evidence does not support great optimism about the

future involvement of men in family chores and care.¨ (p.14)

“Developments in Spain have been followed with great interest by the British Press, as

the new marriage contract law for use in civil ceremonies obliges men to share

household chores and family care.” (p.14)

“Inspired by Hirschman’s famous title ‘Exit Voice and Loyalty’, they

discuss three potential responses to the disquiets that might arise as women suffer the

dual burden of increased labour force participation and continuing domestic

responsibilities.” (p. 16)