Equality in marriage : delinking gender and family

Abstract

Gender in family studies has come a long way in constructing discourse and helping us understand spouse dynamics in a marriage. However, both ideas of family and gender have changed dramatically recently and academics must change too, especially with greater equality between spouses in a familial setting. This study seeks to understand what it means to be gender-equal in a marriage in domestic Singapore, to see how couples interact and negotiate their position on a daily basis. In-depth interviews with couples seek to find out more about the different roles parents play and if these have any connection to traditional cultural gender roles of masculinity and femininity. Findings suggest that gender equity among spouses, as well as role-interchangeability is happening and negotiations happen on the basis of logic and rationality instead of gendered roles. With this, a position for the ultimate delinking of gender from family is supported.