The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
Second Child Postponement: sociological accounts
Gender (In)equality and Transition to the Second Child
in Dual-earner Couples
David Cruz, ICS-ULisboa
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
Fertility
Transition to the second child
Household Work
Paid Work
Women are still the main
High rate of women employment
responsible for care and chores
(full-time work) and gender
wage gap
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
Proportion (%) of women with at least one and two children's in PT
(at the end of reproductive life)
100
80
91
87
87
86
71
56
60
51
44
40
20
0
1981
1991
One children
2001
2009
Two children’s
Statistical Source: Human Fertility Database
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
Activity Rate (%) by Sex and Age Group
(Portugal, 1992-2013)
100
95
90
85
80
75
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
70
M 25-34
M 35-44
W 25-34
W 35-44
Statistical Source: Statistics Portugal
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
+ 3.4 hours
Paid Work
Men more than women (2012)
Statistical Source: Eurostat, Labour Force Survey.
+ 14 hours
Household Work
Women more than men (2011)
Statistical Source: Third European Quality of Life Survey, 2007-2011.
91%
Leave for the care of children
85%
Extended Parental Leave
Women's (2012)
Women's (2012)
Statistical Source: Statistics Portugal.
Statistical Source: Statistics Portugal.
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
12 Individuals and
6 Couples (first
partnerships and
one step-family)
Lisbon
Metropolitan
Area
Range
between 34
and 46 years
of age
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
The Double Postponement
Men and women coping with childbearing
intentions in their late 30s and early 40s
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
1. Inequality and Disagreement
“No way to have another child without his
driving license! I would be at the hospital giving birth
and who would take Laura to school?” (Maria, 35)
- Reproductive decision-making process disagreement since
early childbearing intentions;
- Women are more likely to be in disagreement to a second
child, even in a new partnership;
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
1. Inequality and Disagreement
Maria
♀
▼ ▼
1
.5
2
•
.5
3
•
.5
♂
4
.5
Paulo
5
- Dual-earner couples and full-time workers, but unequal
wage and professional achievement;
- Men's low participation in childcare;
- Housemaid or relatives availability reduces women's
burden.
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
2. Equality and Receptiveness
“I have a friend who doesn’t want to be a father.
Why people make simple things so complicated? If
even cavemen raise their children in a cave, nowadays
we can do it too.” (Mário, 35)
- Reproductive decision-making process agreement since
early childbearing intentions;
- Late transition to parenthood and male partner older;
- Transition to the second child desired and planned by both
partners;
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
2. Equality and Receptiveness
Sara
♀
1
.5
2
••
.5
♂
▼▼
3
.5
4
.5
Mário
5
- Dual-earner couples and full-time workers, highly educated
women and professional achievement;
- Men's participation in childcare and house tasks.
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
3. One and Done (Equality and Acceptance)
“You see… he has changed. He began to
participate more, he became more dynamic. He is more
into things… the housework, the expenses. And I became
aware of his support… I realize now that he is there for
me. I feel that if I need…” (Monica, 35)
- Early transition to parenthood;
- Low education qualifications level and low income
household;
- Acceptance of the financial difficulties of have a two child
family;
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
3. One and Done (Equality and Acceptance)
Mónica
♀
♂
▼▼
1
.5
2
.5
••
3
.5
4
.5
João
5
- Participation in childcare and housework or “man in
trouble”;
- Grandparents/relatives availability importance.
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
4. Equality and Uncertainty
“When I lived with L. [ex-spouse] we didn’t talk
too much about have or don’t have children’s. Our relationship
didn’t… we weren’t interested on having children. (…) In my
point of view, I didn’t want children’s because... I'm a bit
skeptical about the world and our society. It’s the responsibility
[of having children’s] that scares me!” (Julio, 46)
- Profile often associated with step-families;
- Resistance to transition to the parenthood/second child
being explained by non-conventional factors.
The Double Postponement | Final Seminar
20 th March 2015 | ICS-ULisboa | Lisbon
The Double Postponement
Gender (In)equality and Transition to the Second Child in
Dual-earner Couples
[email protected]
http://duploadiamento.wordpress.com/