Lesbian and heterosexual Spanish and Swedish couples: Division of labor and life-satisfaction

Abstract

Objective:To compare the distribution of housework andchildcare and satisfaction with work-life balance resourcesamong female same-sex and different-sex parenting cou-ples in Spain and Sweden, and their association with lifesatisfaction.Background:Same-sex couples have generally reportedhigher levels of co-responsibility than their different-sexcounterparts in terms of housework and childcare. It hasyet to be determined whether these differences aremaintained in countries with different public gender equal-ity and family policies.Method:Structured interviews were held with 154 motherswho lived with their partner and had children under13 years of age: 89 from Spain (65 with different-sex part-ners and 24 with same-sex partners) and 65 from Sweden(27 with different-sex partners and 38 with same-sex part-ners). Interviews focused on the distribution within thecouple of housework and childcare, problems related towork-life balance, satisfaction with work-life balanceresources and life satisfaction.Results:Differences were observed in the division of laborbetween same-sex and different-sex couples in Spain but notin Sweden. Spanish different-sex couples reported a lessequal distribution of housework and childcare than theirSwedish counterparts. Same-sex couples were as equal intheir division of labor in Spain as in Sweden. Satisfactionwith housework distribution and personal time availabilitypositively predicted life satisfaction, whereas problemsrelated to work-life balance negatively predicted it. Conclusion:Female same-sex couples, in the microsystem,and public gender equality policies in the macro-system,are encouraging a process of“de-gendering”of familylabor, promoting co-responsibility in couples, and therebyfostering their psychological well-being.