Appalachian Studies Commons^™

 Gender relations have influenced the distribution, causes, and consequences of social and economic inequality in the Appalachian region.  Labor market studies that examine gender-based sources of inequality  greatly expanded our understanding of poverty in Appalachia for both  women and men (Billings and Tickamyer 1993). Researchers, who incorporate gender into their analyses, consistently have documented that  women are more vulnerable to poverty than men in this region (Latimer  2000; Tickamyer and Tickamyer 1991). The increased attention to gender  issues within Appalachian studies reflected the heightened awareness of  how gender - in addition to race, class, and ethnicity - shape economic  development …

Locating Lydia's house in rural McDowell Country had been a challenge. We finally stopped at a small post office to ask directions and were directed to a house across a nearby stream. As we reached our destination, a dozen chickens, two goats, and several puppies greeted us in the front yard. Lydia stepped onto the side porch and invited us inside. "Be careful on the stairs," she warned, "my husband still hasn't fixed them rotten boards." Upon entering a small kitchen, Lydia showed us some pictures of the children in her home-based day care. In the living room, a coal-burning …