The Gender Division of Labor: ‘Keeping House’ and Occupational Segregation in the United States

Cohen, Philip N. (2004). The Gender Division of Labor: ‘Keeping House’ and Occupational Segregation in the United States. Gender and Society, 18(2), 239-52.

Reference Type:
Journal Article

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Author(s):
Cohen, Philip N.

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Series Author(s):

Year Published:
2004

Date Published:

Journal Name:
Gender and Society

Volume Number:
18

Issue Number:
2

Start Page Number:
239-52

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ISSN/ISBN:

DOI:
10.1177/0891243203262037

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Reference ID:
3853

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Abstract:

This article explores the effect of women’s movement into the labor market on the gender segregation of work, using the Current Population Survey from 1972 to 1993. The author includes as working those respondents who were “keeping house” and codes keeping house as an occupation. The results show higher estimates of gender segregation, and slightly steeper declines over time, than were seen in previous studies. Analysis of one-year longitudinal changes reveals less movement out of female-dominated occupations when keeping house is included as an occupation. Finally, a decomposition of the segregation trend shows that the movement of women away from keeping house contributed as much to the overall decline in gender segregation as did the desegregation of paid occupations. The author concludes that
the movement of women’s work from the household to the labor market has been a driving force in the changing nature of gender inequality.

Keyword(s):
Population Movement, Diversity, Inequality

URL:

http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0891243203262037

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Citation:

Cohen, Philip N. (2004). The Gender Division of Labor: ‘Keeping House’ and Occupational Segregation in the United States. Gender and Society, 18(2), 239-52.