Labor Force Participation of Married Women in Hong Kong: A Feminist Perspective

Abstract

The study examined, from a feminist perspective, the labor force participation of married women in Hong Kong at different stages of the family life cycle, as well as the interaction of women’s gender role attitudes with human capital variables and resource variables. Findings showed that labor force participation of married women was both an ideological issue and a resource issue. The coexistence of a higher education level and a nontraditional gender role attitude positively associated with women’s labor force participation. Traditional and nontraditional women differed in where they look for childcare support. However, irrespective of their gender role attitude, women opted to work when their family needed their financial contribution and they chose to stay home to take care of the family when the financial situation allowed. Putting the welfare of the children and family before the mothers’ autonomy and personal development remained the overriding principle in the respondents’ work-family decisions.