The Gendered Life Course Gero 300 Chapter 5 September 2008

Introduction It is generally agreed that learning is more important than biology. This is done through gender and role socialization. Gender appropriate behaviours vary by culture and individual. It is often socially constructed and socially determined. Age and gender intersect and inter-relate through the gender and longevity revolutions. Women’s roles have changed challenging old norms and expectations as well as ideologies, and resource allocations.

Introduction The best data to assess these changes is longitudinal, which is in short supply, forcing us to rely on cross- sectional studies and projecting the findings forward. The changing life course, mortality reduction, the public/private spheres played out in men and women’s lives, women’s involvement in the work- force, and public life, retirement and re-entry from a gender perspective, care-giving as a gender related experience.

Gendered Family Life Course Marriage and Cohabitation-2001 census 10% of Canadians live common-law-229% increase since Men have higher rates than women, women have higher rates of pre-marital cohabitation, men have higher post-marital cohabitation rates. Women tend to choose older partners-mating gradient, there may be subtle social pressures for women to marry early and in effect increase economic dependency. Fertility-there has been a dramatic reduction in the number of children born to Canadian women. P.119

Fertility Two children families have now become the norm. There has been a rapid fertility decline-read page 120 Average age for first child-birth is getting older. Increasing number of children born in C/L unions-link between child-bearing and legal marriage is weakening-link with lone parenting and family break- down-p Divorce and Remarriage-1969/86 liberalization of divorce laws-see page 122

Lone Parenting Women are more likely to be lone parents than men- cause is births to never married women, and dissolution of unions-this is creating an emerging matriarchy in Canadian families and the State involvement in family life. Same sex unions-see page 124 Widowhood-women are more likely to widowed than men-50% of women-16% men-Stats Can 2002 Over 65, factor is five to one. Fewer women remarry- 5/14% and male widowers marry sooner than widows- therefore in 75 + age group 49.8% women and 21.1% live alone.

Being Single Never married-no children and no ex-spouse-5% of pop. This has to be seen in relation to higher rates of singlehood in younger pop which may carry over into old age. Single women are more educated, earn more, have a larger social network and receive more family support.

Family Life Course for Older People See page 126 Gender and the work-life course % of women in the paid labour force-46% of all workers are female Wage gap-women earn 71% of males-wage determining characteristics-education, work-experience, union status, industry/occupation. Older workers more vulnerable. 30% of women engage in part-time work (11% males). Employment patterns affect income and pensions. Contribution to family income is less than a third and not increased since the 1960’s

Labour Force Segregation Women are concentrated in fewer job classifications than men-discuss table on page 130 Intersection of family and work-life courses-work and family do not often mesh for women, personal and private accommodations have to be made. Paid work is not user friendly to women-care of children and elders, work-place hours, absenteeism, child-care facilities, reductions in services and benefits.

Summary Due to low fertility, older women will have fewer children to assist them. Instability in marriage and low remarriage rates will leave many older women without partners. Being unattached is a high predictor of late life poverty and not all working women will have accumulated pensions, and extended health benefits for their later life care.