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Title: The Countervailing Implications of the Second Gender Revolution among College Graduates in the US
Citation Type: Miscellaneous
Publication Year: 2023
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Abstract: The Second Gender Revolution thesis argues that as men engage more in household duties, family formation rates among highly educated women will increase. Consistent with this, U.S. college graduates now have the highest marital and fertility rates compared to other educational groups. However, the implication of this demographic shift on gender disparities in the labor market is less understood. This paper examines the stagnation of the gender gaps in the U.S. labor market from the early 1980s to the late 2010s, focusing on college graduates. It investigates how family status— being a parent or married—shapes gender gaps in employment, earnings, and hourly wages. Using a decomposition of change, the study finds that a slower reduction in parenthood among college- educated women has hindered further narrowing of the gender employment gap. Persistent gender disparities in the relationship between family status and labor market outcome have contributed to the slower decrease in gender earnings and hourly wage gaps. A unique pattern emerges among high earners: changes in family status among high-earning women have helped close the gender wage gap. This research underscores the complex implications of demographic shifts for gender equality in the labor market. While increased family formation among educated women may offer more economic stability, it can concurrently slow progress in reducing gender disparities in employment and earnings. These findings highlight the nuanced interplay between family formation, gender, and labor market outcomes, contributing to a deeper understanding of the dynamics underlying gender gaps in contemporary society through the lens of demographic shifts.
Url: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1856Ut5J4fHMQGVwP_TcTrY-QqxrHeBNi/view
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Authors: Jeong, Wonjeong
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Data Collections: IPUMS CPS
Topics: Education, Family and Marriage, Gender, Labor Force and Occupational Structure
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