Emotional labour and identity work of men in caring roles

This paper presents the findings of a research project on the implications of men's non-traditional career choices, specifically those that involve caring roles, for the performance of emotional labour and for gender identity. The research is based on 25 in-depth interviews with male nurses and primary school teachers in the UK. Results suggest firstly that men ‘appropriate’ caring as a valued resource which is separate from caring performed by women, secondly that a division of emotional labour emerges that is drawn on ‘tradition’ gender lines and thirdly that men adopt various strategies to help align their work and gender identity and to minimize tensions between the two. The dynamics of performing ‘women’s work’ and of maintaining and reproducing masculinities within the non-traditional ‘caring’ work setting are discussed in the light of recent theorising around gender, emotions and organizationsA