Amplifying inequalities: Gendered perceptions of work flexibility and the division of household labor during the COVID‐19 pandemic
基于对美国33位父母的深度访谈，发现疫情期间夫妻对工作灵活性的性别认知（认为男性工作更刚性、女性工作更灵活）导致女性承担更多育儿和家务，加剧了不平等。
Abstract During the COVID‐19 pandemic in the US, mothers have taken on more of the responsibility for childcare (including remote schooling) and housework. How did dual‐income couples negotiate domestic labor during the pandemic in ways that ended up with women taking on a larger role? Based on in‐depth interviews with 33 parents, we found that men's jobs were often discussed as being more demanding, particularly in their need for protected time, or requiring rigid time commitments, while women's work was considered more flexible and able to accommodate childcare needs. We argue that gendered perceptions about the flexibility of paid work shaped couple's negotiations over the division of labor. While many interviewees considered men's jobs as “simply more demanding,” we propose that this is a gendered perception that reflects entrenched cultural norms that associate masculinity with paid work and thus men's paid work is prioritized in many families.