Photo Essay - Women's Work Inside & Outside the Home
The notions of "masculine" and "feminine" work have been shown to exert control over the roles men and women take on within the home. Outside of the home, similar dynamics are at play, as women are evidently concentrated into occupations that reflect generally accepted norms of femininity. The position of secretary has long been thought of as inherently feminine, and remains the top job for women just as it did in the 1950s. This phenomenon can be attributed to long-standing gendered expectations, as the role of secretary is an extension of women’s roles as housekeepers within the home . Women perceive secretarial work to be tailored for them, thus pigeonholing them into the profession. Consequently, women take on secretary jobs and perpetuate the assumptions associated with the role. While this division of labor may not alone be an issue, it becomes problematic when the justification is made that secretary jobs are beneath men. This perspective subordinates the po...