`It's Just Easier for Me to Do It': Rationalizing the Family Division of Foodwork

Abstract

While women continue to do the lion's share of foodwork and other housework, they and their families appear to perceive this division of labour as fair. Much of the research in this area has focused on families of European origin, and on the perceptions of women. Here we report findings of a qualitative study based on interviewing multiple family members from three ethno-cultural groups in Canada. Women, men and children employed similar rationales for why women did most of the foodwork, though explanations differed somewhat by ethno-cultural group. Explicitly naming foodwork as women's work was uncommon, except in one ethno-cultural group.Yet more individualized, apparently gender-neutral rationales such as time availability, schedules, concern for family health, foodwork standards, and the desire to reduce family conflict were grounded in unspoken assumptions about gender roles. Such implicit gender assumptions may be more difficult to challenge.