The division of gender roles in female breadwinner couples in the United States and Spain

Abstract

Couples in which the woman is the sole breadwinner are unusual and represent an atypical allocation of household roles. The aim of this study is to study the gender division of roles in the United States and Spain in couples where only the woman works.

The study shows that these couples are more equal than other types of couples, and that this type of couple has changed significantly in Spain, whereas their characteristics have remained more stable in the United States. The gender gap has clearly reversed in the United States in terms of time spent on domestic work. However, it has not reversed in Spain, where women continue to do more housework, even when they are the only employed member of the couple.