The Association between Activity Limitations and Work: Gender, Relationship Status, and Sexuality

• In Event: 2258 - The Policy Consequences of Work-Family Myths

Abstract

This paper investigates the association between activity limitations and work hours among different-sex married, different-sex cohabiting, and same-sex partnered men and women. Previous research on this topic focuses on couples in which only one partner has activity limitations, does not make comparisons between types of couples, and relies heavily economic explanations that omit gender relations. This paper tests three hypotheses about how gender and relationship status are associated with work and activity limitations. First, same-sex couples are hypothesized to have different work adjustments compared to different-sex couples when faced with activity limitations. Second, same-sex male and female couples are hypothesized to be similar in their adjustments to activity limitations. Third, different-sex partnered women are expected to make stronger adjustments than men, with the strongest adjustments being among married women. The first two hypotheses receive support, but the third received mixed support. Among individuals with a limited partner, cohabiting men work less and married women work more than married men and cohabiting women. The interplay of sex, sexual orientation, and relationship type suggests that heteronormativity plays a role alongside economic considerations in the work adjustments of couples with activity limitations.

Author

• Russell Leroy Spiker, University of Cincinnati