The Gendered Life Course
Gero 300
Chapter 5
September 2008
Introduction
•It is generally agreed that learning is more importantthan biology. This is done through gender and rolesocialization.
•Gender appropriate behaviours vary by culture andindividual. It is often socially constructed and sociallydetermined.
•Age and gender intersect and inter-relate throughthe gender and longevity revolutions. Women’s roleshave changed challenging old norms andexpectations as well as ideologies, and resourceallocations.
Introduction
•The best data to assess these changes is longitudinal,which is in short supply, forcing us to rely on cross-sectional studies and projecting the findings forward.
•The changing life course, mortality reduction, thepublic/private spheres played out in men andwomen’s lives, women’s involvement in the work-force, and public life, retirement and re-entry from agender perspective, care-giving as a gender relatedexperience.
Gendered Family Life Course
•Marriage and Cohabitation-2001 census 10% ofCanadians live common-law-229% increase since1981. Men have higher rates than women, womenhave higher rates of pre-marital cohabitation, menhave higher post-marital cohabitation rates. Womentend to choose older partners-mating gradient, theremay be subtle social pressures for women to marryearly and in effect increase economic dependency.
•Fertility-there has been a dramatic reduction in thenumber of children born to Canadian women. P.119
Fertility
•Two children families have now become the norm.There has been a rapid fertility decline-read page 120
•Average age for first child-birth is getting older.Increasing number of children born in C/L unions-linkbetween child-bearing and legal marriage isweakening-link with lone parenting and family break-down-p. 121.
•Divorce and Remarriage-1969/86 liberalization ofdivorce laws-see page 122
Lone Parenting
•Women are more likely to be lone parents than men-cause is births to never married women, and dissolutionof unions-this is creating an emerging matriarchy inCanadian families and the State involvement in familylife.
•Same sex unions-see page 124
•Widowhood-women are more likely to widowed thanmen-50% of women-16% men-Stats Can 2002
•Over 65, factor is five to one. Fewer women remarry-5/14% and male widowers marry sooner than widows-therefore in 75 + age group 49.8% women and 21.1% livealone.
Being Single
•Never married-no children and no ex-spouse-5% ofpop. This has to be seen in relation to higher rates ofsinglehood in younger pop which may carry over intoold age.
•Single women are more educated, earn more, have alarger social network and receive more familysupport.
Family Life Course for Older People
•See page 126
•Gender and the work-life course-2004 58% of women inthe paid labour force-46% of all workers are female
•Wage gap-women earn 71% of males-wage determiningcharacteristics-education, work-experience, union status,industry/occupation. Older workers more vulnerable.30% of women engage in part-time work (11% males).Employment patterns affect income and pensions.Contribution to family income is less than a third and notincreased since the 1960’s
Labour Force Segregation
•Women are concentrated in fewer job classificationsthan men-discuss table on page 130
•Intersection of family and work-life courses-work andfamily do not often mesh for women, personal andprivate accommodations have to be made.
•Paid work is not user friendly to women-care ofchildren and elders, work-place hours, absenteeism,child-care facilities, reductions in services andbenefits.
Summary
•Due to low fertility, older women will have fewerchildren to assist them.
•Instability in marriage and low remarriage rates willleave many older women without partners.
•Being unattached is a high predictor of late lifepoverty and not all working women will haveaccumulated pensions, and extended health benefitsfor their later life care.