Gender balance in the workforce and abortion attitudes: A cross-national time-series analysis |
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Authors: | Juan J Fernández Celia Valiente Antonio M Jaime-Castillo |
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Institution: | 1. University Carlos III of Madrid, Getafe, Spain;2. National Distance Education University, Madrid, Spain |
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Abstract: | This article explores the relationship between gender balance in the workforce and attitudes towards abortion worldwide. Studies on macro-level conditions related to abortion attitudes overlook the role of gender balance in the workforce—specifically the degree of female representation in a country's workforce. There are strong reasons why this factor could shape abortion attitudes. We argue that such a gender balance creates necessary conditions to break with traditional, anti-abortion ideology and facilitates dissemination and public acceptance of pro-choice views. We test this argument with two different datasets - the Integrated Values Survey and three waves of the International Social Survey Programme—along with two outcomes: general tolerance towards abortion and tolerance towards abortion for pregnant women of low income. Using three-level random intercept models and multiple controls for individual and country-level conditions, the results support our hypothesis: In countries with higher gender balance in the workforce, individuals display higher tolerance towards abortion. |
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Keywords: | abortion attitudes cross-national analysis gender survey |
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