The Changing Male Breadwinner Model in Australia: a New Gender Order?

Abstract

Complex changes have occurred in the Australian gender order in the past few decades. A strong version of a male breadwinner/female carer gender order was an important component of early 20th century Australian social, economic and political institutional frameworks. While the male breadwinner model was far from either universal or uniform in the post World War II period, significant further changes have recently occurred. Although many aspects of the traditional gender order remain intact, it has been profoundly disrupted by restructuring within the labour market and also by the decline of the nuclear family and other socio-economic changes affecting gender arrangements within households. These changes have led to increased complexity and diversity in existing gender arrangements. Furthermore, changes and continuities in gender arrangements have not been experienced evenly and a growing polarisation has occurred in the gender roles and arrangements within different socio-economic groups in society. The winners and losers from the impact of economic and social restructuring are frequently engaged in quite different strategies of adjustment, resulting in both changed and reinforced versions of the traditional male breadwinner model.