Attitudes towards gender equality at work and in the family. The Portuguese case between tradition and change

Abstract

This article analyses attitudes towards the social division of labour and gender inequalities in paid and unpaid work in Portugal. The study was based on a survey of 2375 local public administration employees in the Cávado region and used validated measures of gender attitudes. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed three latent dimensions in relation to gender attitudes: gender attitudes in the work-family interface; gender attitudes in housework and care; perceptions of the evolution of gender equality. In addition, bivariate inferential tests (t-tests and one-way ANOVA) were performed to identify and compare patterns of gender attitudes between women and men according to age, education, geographic area, and parenthood. Results show progress in attitudes towards gender equality, especially among women, suggesting that Portuguese society differs from the traditional gender regime in southern Europe. However, we also identified trends of regression among younger male workers, which may present increased challenges to gender equality policies.