My first Publication GenderedDistributionOfLabour(clone) | Page 6

labour would be better for both of us. But if inequality makes everyone better off, why object
to it?” (p. 320). At the end of the day, it all comes to personal preference. If spouses do not
feel like conforming to the equal split rule they will not, and that does not mean that the
distribution they agreed to is unjust, as they both do what they like. It might seem that they
conform to social norms here, but this case is different; as in the case of social norms, even if
the choice is voluntary, they feel obligated to conform to it.
Another interesting view is offered by Andrew Mason (2000), an egalitarian view which
entails that people should be held responsible for their choices and that inequalities in this
case are just. This is called the ‘equal access view’. Then he offers us Roemer’s pragmatic
theory of responsibility where “…only inequalities which can be traced back to the
circumstances in which people happen to find themselves are objectionable.” (p. 227). This
means that a person should be held responsible depending on the control of her choice in that
particular moment.
These cases offer us alternative views to the traditional ones, where the gendered division of
labour is considered completely unjust. These views, although acknowledging the unfairness
of the gendered distribution of labour, they also shed light on what might make this issue in
some cases just. If people prefer to do a certain kind of job, then the gendered distribution of
labour is just. If people made a choice that caused the current burden, it is just, as they should
be held accountable for their choices. However, I do not agree with these views, and I believe
the gendered distribution of labour is unjust and in order to combat this injustice, appropriate
policies must be considered.
V.
Policy Proposals
The gendered distribution of labour considered problematic, as not only it deprives women of
the opportunities to get involved in the labour market, but it also does not teach children the
principles of justice, which could be an issue in the future of the society. Susan Okin (1989)
recognises the fact that marriage and family are unjust institutions. Even women who
participate in the work force, they still do more domestic work than men. These kind of
inequalities puts the man in a position of superiority, which is highly unjust. (ibid.: 150-155).
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