Feminization of Work

History of the Feminization of Work

Feminization is best understood within the broader context of women's participation in the labor market more generally. In the United States, the large-scale entry of women into the workforce occurred in step with the transformation from an industrial economy to one based in the provision of services. This transformation produced dramatic occupational shifts. Until approximately the late 19th century, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, manufacturing, mining and other extractive activities, and construction constituted the largest sectors of the economy. Workers in these occupations—those who held blue-collar jobs—made up the majority of the labor force. The professional sector of the economy employed only about a third of the labor force in white-collar jobs. These include technical, clerical, and managerial jobs, as well as sales workers. Over the course of the 20th century, the industrial sector of the economy shrank and the labor force shifted from primarily blue-collar jobs to mostly white-collar and service jobs. Mechanization and other technological advances eliminated many unskilled jobs altogether. National and international trade increased dramatically, and corporations became commonplace.

During the transformation from a goods-producing economy to a service-based economy, clerical work was one of the first occupations to undergo feminization. Until the mid-19th century, clerical jobs were initially held by men, and the work was closer to managerial jobs of today, with wages and esteem to match. However, increasing bureaucratization required more workers with specialized skills, such as bookkeepers, stenographers, and typists. The invention of the typewriter and other business machines deskilled clerical work. Machines allowed for the separation of individual tasks, such as typing letters and answering telephones, which had once been part of the complex job of a clerk. Women were seen as suited to the now menial tasks associated with what had been a skilled occupation. As clerical work became feminized, wages declined and opportunities for mobility diminished. Men sought better-paying positions, such as sales, or moved higher up the administrative ladder. Both employers and prospective male workers gradually saw clerical work as inappropriate for men. The exit of men made room for the entry of more women and turned clerical work into a “pink-collar” job.

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