Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Gender Differentiation In Paid And Unpaid Work During The Transition To Parenthood, Medora W. Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

The transition to parenthood may be especially difficult because relationships need to be largely reorganized to meet demanding new challenges. For scholars interested in gender inequality, the transition to parenthood is a critical time in which gender differentiation is generated by both economic and cultural forces. Although newly married childless couples tend to share both paid and unpaid labor rather equally, when men and women become parents, their patterns become increasingly differentiated by gender. Cultural beliefs that emphasize mothers as the primary parent and fathers as secondary reinforce unequal patterns in housework and childcare. Time availability models, bargaining perspectives, and …

Anticipatory Socialization Of Pregnant Women: Learning Fetal Sex And Gendered Interactions, Medora Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

Our Family Functions: Functions Of Traditional Weddings For Modern Brides And Postmodern Families., Medora W. Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

In many ways the continued popularity of traditional weddings in the United States may seem surprising in light of the increased rates of divorce, cohabitation, and non-marital child-bearing in the latter half of the twentieth century, which have accompanied the rise of what has come to be called the “postmodern” family. This research draws upon in-depth interviews with twenty white, middle class women who recently had traditional weddings and explores the connections between the postmodern family context and the desirability of traditional weddings. Specifically, it examines how traditional functions of formal weddings are still relevant within contemporary society. Findings indicate …

Deciding On Leave: How Us Women In Dual-Earner Couples Decide On Maternity Leave Length, Medora W. Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

This research contributes to the dialogue on maternity leave policy in the United States through analysing how pregnant school teachers with access to extended maternity leave decide how long a leave to take. The lived experiences of new mothers are examined through a series of longitudinal interviews with 16 public school teachers conducted at three points over the course of the transition to parenthood (pregnancy through first year). Findings indicate that although financial reasons played a large role in women deciding to return to work more quickly, issues of professional identity and personal happiness were also meaningful. Additionally, holding gendered …

Fetal Sex Determination And Gendered Prenatal Consumption, Medora W. Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

Although expectant mothers have long purchased items in preparation for their baby’s birth, the timing and type of purchases being made have changed in response to pregnant women routinely learning the sex of their fetus through ultrasound. This article examines changes in these consumption patterns through data drawn from personal narratives with 25 women divided between two cohorts—those who gave birth in the 2000s and those who gave birth in the1970s. The routine use of ultrasound has encouraged changes in beliefs about the relationship between a fetus and its mother in younger women, which in turn inspires earlier purchases of …

Having A First Versus A Second Child: Comparing Women's Maternity Leave Choices And Concerns, Medora W. Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

There are good reasons to suspect that the transition parents go through when having their second child may be different from when having their first, yet these differences remain understudied. This study focuses on one specific area of possible divergence by looking at how first-time versus secondtime mothers decide on maternity leave length. To address this question, a series of in-depth semistructured longitudinal interviews were conducted at three different times over the course of 1 year with 16 pregnant public school teachers; 8 of whom were having their first child and 8 their second child. Findings indicate that some areas …

When Couples Become Parents: The Creation Of Gender In The Transition To Prenthood, Medora Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

No abstract provided.

Review Of Sex Cells: The Medical Market For Eggs And Sperm, By Rene Almeling., Medora Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

Gender Wage Gap; Family Medical Leave Act; Genetic Prenatal Testing;, Medora Barnes

Medora W. Barnes

Glass Ceiling, Medora Barnes

Medora W. Barnes