Women's paid/unpaid work and health: exploring the social context of everyday life

Literature from various disciplines was reviewed to obtain a description of the working lives of Canadian women. This analysis drew on the work of Smith (1987, 1990) and other feminist and critical theorist authors who have argued that much of women's work remains invisible and undervalued. Patterns of normative thought or social ideology may obscure the extent and value of women's contributions. It is suggested here that an "ideology of separate spheres" operates in the designation of paid activity in the public sphere as work, whereas activities pursued in the private sphere of the home are overlooked. It is further argued that women's heavy involvement in unpaid activities that support and sustain others results in a state of lesser citizenship, and women's own prerequisites of health are often compromised. Women's work often takes place outside the formal economy, within a "shadow" or subsistence economy (Illich, 1981) which is essential for the continued health of others.