SOCI 210 Lecture Notes - Lecture 33: Motherhood Penalty, Glass Ceiling, Occupational Segregation
3 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Labour-force participation: Paid Work
- 1960s: Bimodal pattern of women’s participation
- 20-24 years, then 45-54 years
- Bimodal pattern has disappeared
- Over-representation of women in part-time and non-standard work
- Women as % of part-time workers?
- Occupational segregation and gender-typing
- 2006: 67% of all Canadian women in teaching, nursing, or health-related
occupations
- Declines in some patterns of occupation segregation
- Women moving into male-dominated occupations, but not vice versa
The (male) work-role model
- 3 main tenets
- Full time, continuous work from graduation to retirement
- Subordination of potential through work
- Within the paid workforce, this is expected to be the primary focus of a
male’s life. The rewards will be an actualization of his potential as a
human being and specifically as a male through work.
- Actualization of potential through work
- Must work unless severely physically or psychologically disabled
- Reduced to financial-success object
- Self-actualization (Maslow, 1979)
Female Work Role
- Differential socialization for women
- Internalized expectations regarding marriage, work
- Different experiences, responsibilities, rewards in paid workforce
- Sexual harassment
- Less authority, responsibility
- Lower pay, prestige
Labour-force participation: paid work
- Glass ceiling
- Women’s movement into paid work, masculinized professions
- Refers to invisible, socially-created barrier
- Glass escalator/ elevator (Williams, 1992/2001)
- Men’s movement into feminized professions (paid work force only)
- Refers to preferential treatment, accelerated success
- Gender Wage Gap
- “Despite substantial gains in earnings during the past two decades, women
still earn less than men” (Statistics Canada, 2003)
- Usually, higher education = higher income
- “Much of the wage gap remains a puzzle, leaving at last one half of the
discrepancy unaccounted for” (Statistics Canada, 1999)
Document Summary
Over-representation of women in part-time and non-standard work. 2006: 67% of all canadian women in teaching, nursing, or health-related occupations. Declines in some patterns of occupation segregation. Women moving into male-dominated occupations, but not vice versa. Full time, continuous work from graduation to retirement. Within the paid workforce, this is expected to be the primary focus of a male"s life. The rewards will be an actualization of his potential as a human being and specifically as a male through work. Must work unless severely physically or psychologically disabled. Different experiences, responsibilities, rewards in paid workforce. Women"s movement into paid work, masculinized professions. Men"s movement into feminized professions (paid work force only) Despite substantial gains in earnings during the past two decades, women still earn less than men (statistics canada, 2003) Much of the wage gap remains a puzzle, leaving at last one half of the discrepancy unaccounted for (statistics canada, 1999)
