"It just makes sense" : the distribution of space and labor for couples who work from home

Abstract

As a feminist geographer, I am interested in exploring how gendered experiences and expectations intersect with the built environment to reinforce social hierarchies and perpetuate inequality. The traditional division of spaces between the private domain of the home, associated with femininity and domesticity, and the public sphere of work, associated with masculinity and productivity, has long been recognized as a significant contributor to gender inequality. However, the emergence of remote work, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has blurred these boundaries, bringing work into the home and potentially disrupting established gendered norms. This paper seeks to investigate the implications of this shift, particularly for women, who have historically been burdened with the majority of unpaid domestic labor and caregiving responsibilities. Through a series of ten interviews with five couples who work from home, I aim to analyze how they navigate and negotiate the intermingling of work and home spaces, and the distribution of labor and space in the home. By examining the gendered dimensions of the home workplace, this study contributes to a broader understanding of the intersections between gender, work, and the built environment.