Memories of difference: architects' perceptions of professional regression and gender inequality in Pinochet's Chile

Abstract

Architecture, as practised in Western countries, is one of the professions that has amply incorporated women in the last century, gradually encouraging equality in the workplace. But, as is common in other occupations, women architects have been and still are susceptible to experiencing gender barriers such as the so-called ‘glass ceiling’ and ‘sticky floor’, as well as a gender pay gap and overexertion with respect to men. Moreover, when considering historical trajectories, the fragility of gender equality in architecture becomes apparent as it is highly reactive to social and economic crises, demonstrating that, although labour conditions can advance over time, they can also regress. Based on oral interviews, this article studies the case of Chilean architects who were students and young professionals in the 1960s and early 70s — the years preceding the military coup led by Augusto Pinochet in Chile in 1973 — showing how an enhanced attention to collective action during those years of political reform and social fervour motivated impressions of gender equality. In contrast, the social crisis and abrupt cultural transformation prompted by Pinochet's military regime deeply affected women architects' perception of professional agency — that is, their ability to feel integrated and find rewarding jobs.