eprintid: 3586
rev_number: 5
eprint_status: archive
userid: 1
dir: disk0/00/00/35/86
datestamp: 2021-07-28 06:39:56
lastmod: 2021-07-28 06:39:56
status_changed: 2021-07-28 06:39:56
type: thesis
metadata_visibility: show
sword_depositor: 1
creators_name: Firl, Katrin
creators_id: S4488423
creators_email: kfirl@student.rug.nl
title: Gender Equality and Male-Body Based Contraceptive Use: Evidence from the German Family Panel
ispublished: unpub
full_text_status: public
abstract: Background Most available modern contraceptives are female-body based and women predominantly 
take the responsibility for birth control in heterosexual relationships in developed countries. As 
preventing unwanted pregnancies is a ‘relationship task’ both partners want to achieve in heterosexual 
relationships, feminized contraceptive responsibility can be conceptualised as ‘fertility work’. Thereby, 
it can be connected to the ‘gendered division of labour’. Objective By examining the gendered 
dimension of contraceptive behaviour, I address the research gap of considering micro-level gender 
equality in form of power dynamics and gender ideology when researching couples’ contraceptive 
choices. It is hypothesized that greater gender equality is related to a higher likelihood of choosing 
modern methods over no or traditional methods, and modern male methods over modern female 
methods. Thereby, it is assumed that modern male methods are connected to lower expenditures like 
side-effects than female methods and that using male methods can be conceptualised as ‘sharing’
contraceptive responsibility. Method Micro-level gender equality is operationalised within power 
theories and gender ideology theory and measured by predictors of interactional, relative and absolute 
power and gender ideology. I test each predictor in their relationship to contraceptive behaviour in linear 
probability models with wave 1 data of the German Family Panel ‘pairfam’. Findings Gender equality 
conceptualised within power theories and gender ideology theory is significantly associated with a 
higher probability of choosing modern methods over no or traditional methods, and choosing modern 
male methods over modern female methods. Thereby, broader relationship dynamics like the number 
of children, relationship commitment and cohort affiliation need to be taken into account.
date: 2021
pages: 61
thesis_type: master
degree_programme: POPST
tutors_name: Rutigliano, R.
tutors_name: Bister, L.
tutors_organization: Fac. Ruimtelijke wetenschappen, Basiseenheid Demografie
tutors_organization: Fac. Ruimtelijke wetenschappen, Basiseenheid Demografie
tutors_email: R.Rutigliano@rug.nl
tutors_email: L.Bister@rug.nl
security: validuser
keywords_local: Gender Equality
keywords_local: Contraceptive Behaviour
keywords_local: Modern Contraception
keywords_local: Male-Body Based Contraceptives
keywords_local: Gendered Division of Labour
language_iso: en
agreed_repository: yes
date_issued: 2021-07-19
citation:   Firl, Katrin  (2021) Gender Equality and Male-Body Based Contraceptive Use: Evidence from the German Family Panel.  Master thesis.   
document_url: https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/3586/1/Master%20Thesis_Katrin%20Firl_S4488423.pdf