The two stages of occupational gender integration

• In Event: 30411 - Gender Inequality

Abstract

Previous studies have shown one manifestation of gender wage inequality is that a growing proportion of female workers in an occupation (i.e., occupational feminization) leads to declines in wages. More recent studies, however, have found that this relationship between occupational feminization on wages is contingent in nature and has diminished, with no clear consensus on the reasons or timing. Drawing from the recently developed “gender equality hurdle” theory, this study argues that the negative effect of occupational feminization on wages was only prominent from 1960 to 1990—a transitional period when women holding professional roles gradually became a social norm, leading to a separation of women from their traditional caregiver roles. Consequently, the devaluation of “women’s work” was mitigated. Post-1990, the U.S. entered a period of gradual gender integration. Thus, occupational feminization no longer negatively affects wages. Moreover, because high-skilled women are more likely to maintain their full-time employment, they benefit most from this gradual gender integration period. Empirical analyses use data from the U.S. Census (1960–1990) and American Community Survey (ACS) (2000–2019) and occupation-level fixed effects models. Results support the gender equality hurdle perspective that the negative effect of feminization on wages has disappeared since the 1990s. Moreover, feminization becomes positively associated with wages in high-skilled occupations. These results remain true after considering the bias from selection into the labor market. This study challenges the stalled revolution perspective and supports the gender equality hurdle model as an alternative framework to understand evolving forms of gender inequality.

Author

• Meiying Li, Cornell University