The discursive construction of ‘bounded masculinity/unbounded femininity’

Abstract

The end of World War II saw the emergence of a gendered division of labour in Japan where 'salarymen' committed themselves to their workplaces, while 'professional housewives' devoted themselves to domestic work and childcare. Masculinity can therefore be seen as 'bounded' since social norms constructed men as family breadwinners. On the other hand, femininity can be seen as 'unbounded' in that women were released from the pressure to assume a breadwinning role. This article draws on critical discursive psychology to investigate the subject positions that a group of Japanese men and women assume in relation to a 'bounded masculinity/unbounded femininity' interpretative repertoire during group interviews. Results of the analysis indicate that a majority of the participants assumed complicit subject positions in relation to these repertoires and in the process normalized a traditional gendered division of labour. Those participants who took up more resistant subject positions can be seen as contesting and potentially subverting unequal gender relations. The contribution these accounts make to reify or conceivably democratize gender relations is also considered.

Breadwinning as care? The meaning of paid work in mothers’ and fathers’ constructions of parenting

“…However, fathers seem to ultimately prioritise the provider role and continue to organise their caregiving responsibilities around the demands of their workplaces (Braun, Vincent, & Ball, 2011;Gatrell, Burnett, Cooper, & Sparrow, 2015). Prioritising employment is connected to notions of fathers as ideal workers (Holter, 2001), to structural constraints and attitudes (Steiber & Haas, 2010) and to ideals of masculinity (Charlebois, 2012;Holter, 2007;Schmidt, Rieder, Zartler, Schadler, & Richter, 2015). Fathers seem to be required to develop fatherhood identities separately from the traditional male breadwinning identity (Höfner, Schadler, & Richter, 2011;Larsson & Björk, 2017).…”

“Stammering less so that I can be more of a man”: Discourses of masculinities among young adult men in the Western Cape, South Africa, who stutter.

“…Finally, our analysis of disabled men’s emotions also revealed that in light of disablism, men resisted and rejected dominant notions of masculinity and formulated affirmative masculinities consistent and accepting of the limitations of stuttering. Charlebois (2012) argued individuals have the ability to resist dominant ideologies, which is a crucial step towards changing the existing hegemonic gender order. Marginal men, similar to, men who stutter, may well play a role at the forefront of change.…”

Law, compliance, and variation: Proximity and preferences regarding workplace lactation accommodations

“…US culture maintains a “Good Mother Ideal” of intensive mothering, child‐focused living, long‐term breastfeeding, and other lifestyle features that are difficult for a fully employed parent to maintain. As Charlebois notes, a “full‐time homemaker is a culturally dominant image of hegemonic femininity” (2010, p. 45). When the Good Mother Ideal is not reached, working mothers often feel substantial guilt.…”