Gender equality and experiences of family life — practice questions

Evidence of equality: More women in paid work; Gershuny — lagged adaptation (men do more when women earn more); same-sex couples (Dunne) — more egalitarian; shared parenting ideals.

Evidence of inequality: Oakley — women still do most housework/childcare; decision-making often male-dominated (Edgell); dual burden; domestic violence shows power imbalance.

Evaluation: Public sphere more equal than private — 'equality' rhetoric not matched by practice for many; class/ethnicity mediate experience.

Conclusion: Some progress but not symmetrical family for majority — patriarchy softened not removed.

Part 1: Calculation

Table 1: Average time spent on unpaid work (minutes per day)

• Step 1: Calculate total unpaid work for men. $65 + 30 + 25 + 10 = 130$ minutes per day.

• Step 2: Calculate total unpaid work for women. $150 + 75 + 40 + 15 = 280$ minutes per day.

• Step 3: Calculate the absolute difference. $280 - 130 = 150$ minutes.

• Step 4: Calculate the percentage difference. The formula for percentage increase is $(\frac{\text{New Value} - \text{Original Value}}{\text{Original Value}}) \times 100\%$. Here, we compare women's time to men's time. $(\frac{280 - 130}{130}) \times 100\% = (\frac{150}{130}) \times 100\% \approx 1.1538 \times 100\% = 115.4\%$ Answer: Women perform approximately 115.4% more unpaid work than men per day.

Part 2: Sociological Explanation

This data provides strong quantitative evidence to criticise Young and Willmott's 'symmetrical family' thesis.

1. Contradicts 'Joint Conjugal Roles': The symmetrical family is characterised by shared domestic roles. This data shows the opposite. Women spend over double the time on unpaid work (280 mins vs 130 mins). This demonstrates highly segregated, rather than joint, conjugal roles.
2. Supports Feminist Critiques: The findings align with Ann Oakley's (1974) research, which argued the symmetrical family was a myth. The data shows women are still primarily responsible for housework (150 vs 65 mins) and childcare (75 vs 30 mins), supporting the concept of the 'dual burden' where women manage both paid employment and the bulk of domestic labour.
3. Challenges the 'March of Progress': The significant disparity suggests that the 'march of progress' towards equality has been slow or has stalled. Despite societal changes, the private sphere of the home remains a site of significant gender inequality, reflecting persistent patriarchal norms about gender roles. The data indicates that while men may 'help', women still bear the primary responsibility, which is a core feminist argument against the symmetrical family thesis.