“I Can Do the Same as You”. Women's Motivations for Entering and Remaining in Male‐Dominated Occupations in Chile

Alessandra Olivi, Julieta Palma, Alejandra Ramm, Camila Campos and Fran Sofía Núñez

Gender, Work and Organization, 2026, vol. 33, issue 5, 1973-1985

Abstract: Despite the growing participation of women in the labor market, significant gender‐based occupational segregation persists, particularly in highly male‐dominated occupations. Existing research has largely explained women's entry into these occupations in terms of economic motivation, while paying less attention to how motivations for both entry and permanence are shaped by the intersection of class, family arrangements, and life trajectories, especially among non‐professional women in the Global South. This article addresses that gap by examining the motivations of low‐income women entering and remaining in artisanal fishing and port sectors in Chile. Drawing on intersectionality and feminist standpoint theory, the study develops an in‐depth qualitative analysis of four biographical cases selected from a broader set of 17 semi‐structured interviews. The findings show that women's motivations cannot be reduced to economic necessity alone. In artisanal fishing, motivations are closely linked to reclaiming a denied family heritage, belonging to maritime culture, and asserting a place within kinship‐based productive worlds, even when access remains mediated by patriarchal family arrangements. In the port sector, motivations are shaped more strongly by the search for economic stability, formal employment, and upward mobility, although these trajectories depend on institutionally created pathways such as public training programmes. Across both sectors, motherhood, economic vulnerability, family responsibilities, and the search for respect and recognition emerge as central motivations for both entry and permanence. This study contributes to the understanding of women's labor decisions, shedding light on the complexities of negotiating gender and class within labor market dynamics, as well as societal and familial expectations in Latin America.

Date: 2026
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