Unpacking Shanghai "apron husbands" : gender, power and food practices in contemporary Shanghai families

Abstract

This thesis is about the division of household labor and gender equality in China, with a particular focus on food practices and gender power relations in contemporary Shanghai families. Previous scholarship has argued that patriarchal authority is stronger in both Chinese and Western cultures, leading to a doctrine of separate spheres between men’s and women’s work—where men perform wage-earning labor outside the home and women perform unwaged labor (such as food preparation) within. This thesis explores the emergence of an alternative gender role ideology in metropolis Shanghai, reflected in the widespread use of the term “apron husbands” to describe the large number of Shanghainese men whose domestic contributions, particularly with regards to food practices, exceed those of women. It addresses the question: in a cultural context such as contemporary China, where housework remains largely a woman’s responsibility, can the emergence of “apron husbands” help alleviate gender power imbalances and thereby improve women’s social standing?

Food practices are examined as an entry point for gaining a better understanding of the division of household labor in Shanghai families. Using an interdisciplinary method that includes media and discourse analysis as well as interviews, the study explores how the reality and representation of Shanghai “apron husbands” were generated and reinforced, and have interacted with traditional gender ideologies about household cooking labor. The study also examines the impact of “apron husbands” on women’s access to power and their experience of womanhood as a social construct in contemporary Shanghai.

The thesis argues that the “apron husband” phenomenon can only be understood by recognizing the interconnectedness of gender roles, power hierarchies, and the economic history of Shanghai. Reflecting the resurgence of the traditional gender roles in China since the 1980s, popular TV dramas and media commentary frequently depict the images of Shanghainese “apron husband” in a derogatory way to promote traditional, patriarchal gender divisions in which domestic labor is regarded as women’s work. However, this study finds a disjuncture between the media discourse and actual practice, with interviews revealing more egalitarian attitudes underpinning the spread of work between husbands and wives in Shanghainese households. These attitudes confer a higher status upon women and result in greater equality in power relations within the family. The study also criticizes the public discussion of “apron husband” for it constraining women’s attempts to become more influential in the public sphere by dismissing women’s contribution at home. Lastly, the study identifies the positive effects of women’s use of the Internet to communicate their food-related experiences in challenging stereotypes and accruing social power.

It is hoped that this study’s attempt to connect men’s food practices with women’s power and issues of gender equality will lead to more nuanced understandings of masculinity, feminism and gender role ideology in the Chinese context. It is also hoped that by unpacking the “apron husband” characterization and challenging traditional gender roles, this study can enhance progress towards gender equality.