WOMEN, MEN AND POWER:
GENDER RELATIONS IN MONTSERRAT
TRACEY SKELTON
SEPTEMBER 1989
Thesis submitted to the Department of Geography,
University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Table of contents
List of tables vi
List of figures viii
Abstract ix
Acknowledgements
Table of contents
Chapter I Introduction 1
1.1 Introduction 2
1.2 Why The Caribbean? 2
1.3 Why MOntserrat? 3
1.4 Questions and Gender Relations 4
Chapter II From Camps to Concepts: Feminist Theory and Theoretical Issues 6
2.1 Introduction 7
2.2 Starting Points 7
2.2.1 Feminist work in the Caribbean 7
2.2.2 Feminist geography 8
2.2.3 Conclusion 9
2.3 The Five British Feminist Camps 10
2.3.1 Introduction 10
2.3.2 Marxist feminism 11
2.3.3 Socialist feminism 12
2.3.4 Women's studies 13
2.3.5 Radical feminism 15
2.3.6 Women and development 17
2.3.7 Conclusion 19
2.4 Feminist Concepts 20
2.4.1 Introduction 20
2.4.2 Gender roles 20
2.4.3 Gender relations 21
2.4.4 Production and reproduction 22
2.4.5 Capitalism 23
2.4.6 Patriarchy 23
2.4.7 Conclusion 24
2.5 Areas of Social Organisation 25
2.5.1 Introduction 25
2.5.2 The household 25
2.5.3 The workplace 26
2.5.4 Union patterns 27
2.5.5 Heterosexual behaviour 29
2.5.6 Conclusion 30
2.6 Main Conclusion 30
Chapter III The Caribbean: Four Areas of Social
Organisation 32
3.1 Introduction 33
3.2 Areas of Social Organisation 33
3.3 Women Are More Than Lovers and Mothers 35
3.3.1 Practical difficulties in studying women of the Caribbean 36
3.3.2 Methodological and theoretical difficulties in studying Caribbean women 38
3.4 The Components to be Reviewed 42
3.5 The Caribbean Household 44
3.5.1 The household versus the family 44
3.5.2 The development of the Caribbean household pattern 45
3.5.3 The variety of household classifications 47
3.5.4 Problems with the head of household 49
3.5.5 Caribbean household structure and dynamism 50
3.5.6 The gender division of household labour 51
3.5.7 Decision-making in the household 53
3.5.8 Inter-household networks 55
3.5.9 Conclusion 56
3.6 The Caribbean Workplace 57
3.6.1 The nature of employment opportunities for women 57
3.6.2 The gender division of labour in the workplace 59
3.6.3 Attitudes to female employment: employees and employers 60
3.6.4 Problems women as employees face 61
3.6.5 Attitudes of men towards women working 63
3.6.6 Women's employment and power in the home 64
3.6.7 Conclusion 64
3.7 Caribbean Union Patterns 65
3.7.1 The terminology used 66
3.7.2 Why such variety of union patterns? 67
3.7.3 The dynamism, flexibility and stability of union patterns 69
3.7.4 The legal status of unions 72
3.7.5 The social status of unions 73
3.7.6 Men's and women's attitudes towards union types 74
3.7.7 Conclusion 77
3.8 Caribbean Heterosexual Behaviour 78
3.8.1 Definitions of sexuality 78
3.8.2 Masculinity and femininity in the Caribbean 81
3.8.3 The sexual double standard 84
3.8.4 Attitudes to sex and the opposite gender 85
3.8.5 Contraception and abortion 86
3.8.6 Beginning sexual behaviour and sex education 88
3.8.7 Attitudes towards children 90
3.8.8 Responsibilities of childcare 91
3.8.9 Social censure and control 92
3.8.10 Violence relating to sexuality 94
3.8.11 Conclusion 95
3.9 General Conclusion 96
Chapter IV Ebntserrat and Elseka 99
4.1 Introduction 100
4.2 Montserrat: The Emerald Isle 100
4.3 Methods and Difficulties 107
4.3.1 Methods 108
4.3.2 Difficulties 113
4.4 Living and Working in Elseka 118
4.5 Profiles of Interviewees 126
4.5.1 Profiles: employed women 127
4.5.2 Profiles: ten people of Elseka 132
Chapter V Women and Men in the Home: Gender Relations in the Montserratian Household 138
5.1 Introduction 139
5.2 Methodological Considerations 139
5.3 Household Structure and Dynamism in Montserrat 140
5.3.1 Households of origin 141
5.3.2 Current household structure 144
5.3.3 Household structure in Elseka 149
5.3.4 Ten Elseka households 153
5.3.5 Conclusion 156
5.4 The Household Division of Labour 157
5.4.1 The household division of labour: households of origin 158
5.4.2 The household division of labour: current households 160
5.4.3 The household division of labour: village households 165
5.4.4 Children's ideas about housework 168
5.4.5 Conclusion 170
5.5 Decision-making Patterns in the Household 170
5.5.1 Decision-making: employed women 170
5.5.2 Decision-making: village households 173
5.6 Household Networks 175
5.7 Conclusion 178
Chapter VI Women and Men at Work: Gender Relations in Mmtserratian Employment 180
6.1 Introduction 181
6.2 The Montserratian Economy, Data Sources and Sample Selection 181
6.3 Montserratian Employment: An Increasingly Female Labour Force, But A Segregated Labour Force 184
6.4 The Nature of Employment Opportunities for Women 189
6.4.1 Work histories 189
6.4.2 Changes in employment opportunities 191
6.4.3 Women's prospects of promotion: vertical segregation in the labour force 192
6.4.4 Conclusion 194
6.5 Workplace Segregation: Vertical Segregation 195
6.5.1 The Mbntserratian Civil Service: a case study 197
6.5.2 Conclusion 200
6.6 Women's Ideas about Their Employment 200
6.6.1 Is it important to have a job? 200
6.6.2 Women's ideas about the jobs they should/ could do 202
6.6.3 Why women are doing their current jobs 205
6.6.4 What do children think about women's employment? 207
6.6.5 What will children do? 208
6.6.6 Conclusion 211
6.7 EMployers Attitudes Towards Women Workers 211
6.7.1 Employment legislation 212
6.7.2 Employer's attitudes 215
6.7.3 Women's wage rates218
6.7.4 Conclusion 222
6.8 Problems Women as Employees Face 223
6.8.1 Childcare problems 223
6.8.2 Job insecurity 224
6.8.3 Sex discrimination 225
6.8.4 Conclusion 227
6.9 Attitudes of Men Towards Women's Employment 228
6.10 Conclusion 231
Chapter VII Women and Nen in Love: The Gender Relations of Union Patterns in Nbntserrat 232
7.1 Introduction 233
7.2 Figures for the Union Patterns 233
7.3 Current Union Patterns 235
7.3.1 Union patterns: employed women 236
7.3.2 Union patterns histories 238
7.3.3 Stability of unions 239
7.3.4 Conclusion 241
7.4 To Marry or Not to Marry? 241
7.4.1 Married women's thoughts on marriage 241
7.4.2 Unmarried women's thoughts on marriage 245
7.4.3 Conclusion 250
7.5 Why Are There so Few Montserratian Marriages? 250
7.6 To Cohabit or Not to Cohabit? 255
7.6.1 Cohabitation: employed women 255
7.6.2 Cohabitation: study-village 258
7.6.3 Conclusion 259
7.7 To Visit or Not to Visit? 259
7.7.1 Visiting: employed women 261
7.7.2 Visiting: study-village 263
7.7.3 Conclusion 264
7.8 Conclusion 265
Chapter VIII libmen, Hen, Sex and Children: The Gender Relations of Heterosexual Behaviour in Nbntserrat 266
8.1 Introduction 267
PART I Sexuality 268
8.1.1 Definitions of Sexuality 268
8.1.1.1 Heterosexuality 268
8.1.1.2 Homosexuality 272
8.1.1.3 Conclusion 274
8.1.2 Masculinity and Femininity 275
8.1.2.1 Masculinity 275
8.1.2.2 Femininity 277
8.1.2.3 Conclusion 278
8.1.3 The Sexual Double Standard 279
8.1.4 Attitudes Towards the Opposite Gender 283
8.1.4.1 Women's ideas about men 283
8.1.4.2 Men's ideas about women 285
8.1.4.3 Conclusion 286
8.1.5 Part I Conclusion 287
PART II Biological Reproduction 287
8.11.1 Contraception 287
8.11.2 Abortion 293
8.11.3 Sexual Education and Beginning Sexual Activity 297
8.11.4 Part II Conclusion 301
PART III Children 302
8.111.1 Attitudes Towards Children 302
8.111.1.1 Children and life changes 304
8.111.1.2 Advantages and disadvantages 306
8.111.2 Responsibilities of Childcare 309
8.111.2.1 Organising childcare 309
8.111.2.2 Care from fathers 312
8.111.3 Part III Conclusion 316
PART IV Social Control 317
8.1V.1 Social Censure and Control 318
8.IV.2 Violence Relating to Gender 321
8.IV.3 Part IV Conclusion 324
8.V General Conclusion 325
Chapter II Conclusion 327
9.1 Introduction 328
9.2 Chapter Conclusions 328
9.3 Patriarchal Gender Relations in Mbntserrat 335
9.4 Who Has The Power in Montserrat? 338
Footnotes 345
Appendix I Interview Schedules 362
APpendix II Glossary 371
Appendix III Legal Status of Unions 375
Bibliogr404y 380
Abstract
Women, Men and Power: Gender Relations in Montserrat
This thesis draws on and informs feminist theory and Caribbean studies and is concerned with investigating the particular form of gender relations in Montserrat.
Gender relations are conceptualised as power relations between men and women. This argument is derived from an exploration of the possibilities and limitations of a range of feminist literature: marxist feminism, socialist feminism, women's studies, feminist geography, radical feminism and the studies of women and development.
The gender relations in Montserrat are explored in four areas of social organisation: the household, the workplace, union patterns and heterosexual behaviour. They are seen as universal features of women's lives and, potentially, the main sites of gender relations. Montserratian gender relations were found to be patriarchal, but varied in strength within the four social areas. The household per se was not a site of patriarchal gender relations unless shared with a male partner. The workplace did not exhibit patriarchal gender relations. Gender relations in marriage and cohabiting unions were strongly patriarchal; those in visiting unions were either egalitarian or weakly patriarchal. Heterosexual behaviour, involving sexuality and biological reproduction, was identified as the main site of the maintenance and reproduction of patriarchal gender relations in Montserrat.
Montserratian gender relations are shown to be broadly similar to those of the Caribbean generally; but there are exceptions. Very low levels of marriage and cohabitation mean that household gender relations are less patriarchal than in other islands. In comparison with other Caribbean islands, where MNCs, law wages, strict gender segregation and a lack of employment legislation prevail, Montserratian women experience higher wages, job security and greater employment opportunities. The Montserratian workplace, therefore, cannot be seen as a site of patriarchal gender relations. However, as is commonplace throughout the Caribbean, union patterns, specifically marriage and cohabitation, and heterosexual behaviour are sites of patriarchal gender relations.
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