Gender and Leisure: Inequality in the Distribution of Leisure Time

Consideration of status differences between males and females in society in general leads to the expectation of inequality in access to leisure time. In this study of 60 married couples, leisure is defined subjectively according to the feelings of the respondents. Using this approach, males are shown to have significantly more leisure time than females on weekends, while sex differences on weekdays are small. The effects of employment status, time devoted to employment and family workload are also explored. The results are interpreted in terms of the dependent labor and the resource participation theories of gender inequality.