The Myth and Destructiveness of Equal Opportunities: The Continued Dominance of the Mothering Role

Uses data from a questionnaire given to 66 mothers of young children (a cross‐section) to examine the relation between women’s expectations and actual experience as they enter the job market in increasing numbers and the idea of equal opportunities. The majority of women undertook a greater share of childcare than their partner irrespective of whether they worked and a majority wanted more responsibility. Suggests that the rhetoric of equal opportunities may actually worsen the situation for women, who because of deepseated attitudes about their mothering role, strive to fulfil a dual role – and give a lower priority and less time to work than is expected of them.