European inventory of
societal values of culture

Conor, Gill & Taylor - Gender and creative labour

Conor, B., Gill, R., & Taylor, S. (Eds). (2015). Gender and Creative Labour. Sociological Review Monograph Series (Vol. 63 S1). Wiley Online Library.

In this collection, the issue of creativity and its connection to creative labor are analyzed through the lens of gender inequality. Its chapters contribute to a better understanding of inequalities in the field. Namely, these had previously not been sufficiently explored, although international research across a range of industries revealed consistently gendered patterns of disadvantage and exclusion. These inequalities are further complicated by class divisions, disability, race, and ethnicity, and amplified by the informality and flexibility required in the context of precarious employment, which are characteristic of the contemporary creative sector.

Women are shown to be particularly disadvantaged by so-called ‘boundary crossing’ (e.g., between home and work, or paid work and unpaid work) and different new pressures around identity-making and self-presentation. In addition to these, there are continuing difficulties related to sexism and the need to manage parenting responsibilities alongside earning. An empirical analysis of the social conditions and contexts of creative labour leads to a nuanced vision of the position of women in the industries based on it.