A WOMENS WORK IS NEVER DONE: GENDERED DIVISIONS OF LABOR, PATRIARCHY, AND EMPOWERMENT IN BAHÍA DE CARAQUEZ, ECUADOR
Social Sciences
Latin American and Latino Studies
Domestic labor in contemporary Bahía de Caraquez, Ecuador lies in the seemingly passive, gendered, private sphere of femininity. Current literature suggests that gender roles, however, are fluid and constantly contested, reflecting shifts in social and economic mobility, broader awareness of a globalized society, and the benefits of higher education. This thesis examines these forces in Bahía de Caraquez, and I argue that what was considered the private, feminine sphere of the home and the prevalent, public, masculine sphere seems to be experiencing the initial phases of a transformation towards a more balanced, shared vision of domesticity. This thesis is based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in the Fall of 2013, including surveys, individual and group interviews, and participant observation at two high schools and one university, as well as in the neighborhood of Bella Vista. Data collected about the responsibilities of males and females in the home reveals that domestic labor is highly gendered today in Bahía, but that this contrasts sharply with the voices of young women who continuously expressed the desire for a professional career; an equal sharing of the economic, familial, and domestic responsibilities with their partner; and a lack of perceived support from the men in their lives, who oftentimes seem content with the way things are. This research exposes some of the nuanced ways that women are challenging traditional gender roles and negotiating the status quo that hinders female empowerment in Bahía de Caraquez, Ecuador.
