The web of Penelope. Regulating women's night work: an unfinished job?

Even though unhealthy consequences of night work for women have been evidenced by international scientific literature only in recent years, they were well acknowledged from ancient times. This essay traces the historical evolution of women's health conditions at work, focusing specifically on nocturnal work. Using the legendary web of Penelope of ancient Greek myths as a metaphor, the paper analyses the early limitations of night-work for women in pre-industrial era and the development of a modern international legislation on this issue, aimed at protecting women's health at the beginning of the twentieth century. The reform of national legislations in a gender-neutral manner has recently abolished gender disparities in night-work, but it seems it also reduced women's protection at work.