Ann Oakley

“Housework is work directly opposed to the possibility of human self-actualization.”

“Sex is a biological term; gender is a psychological and cultural term.”

“There is no such thing as a maternal instinct.”

“To be a housewife is to be a member of a very peculiar occupation, an occupation with no formal contract, no specific hours, no formal training and no union organization.”

“'Woman's work' is a euphemism for unpaid work.”

“The division of labour between men and women is not a matter of biological necessity but of social convention.”

“Feminism is a political perspective. It is not a lifestyle.”

“The concept of 'housewife' is a social invention, not a biological destiny.”

“The social construction of gender means that what is considered masculine and feminine is defined by the culture and society in which we live.”

“Sociology needs to be rescued from the male-dominated perspective that has shaped it.”

“Medicalization has turned natural life processes like childbirth into medical events controlled by male professionals.”

“The notion that men are naturally dominant and women naturally submissive is a myth used to justify inequality.”

“Motherhood is a social construction, not a biological imperative.”

“In our society, 'housewife' is a term with negative connotations, suggesting a woman who is boring, unintelligent, and unfulfilled.”