Paper Published: Does Feminization Always Lead to A Decline in Earnings? Evidence from China’s Marketization (1988—2013)

I am thrilled to share that my paper, "Does Feminization Always Lead to A Decline in Earnings? Evidence from China’s Marketization (1988—2013)", is published on the peer-reviewed journal, Sociological Quarterly. This paper revisits previous sociological findings: when a work becomes increasingly occupied by female workers (aka., feminization), the average income of that work declines. I situated this negative relationship between feminization and earnings within China's marketization. I argue that the negative effect of feminization on earnings has been mitigated in the industries that require a high-level of education. Using data from the China Income Household Project (CHIP) (1988—2013) and province-level fixed effects models, I found feminization is not negatively associated with earnings in state-monopolized industries, where earnings are protected, and finance-insurance industries, where high-skilled female-typed skills have been increasingly in demand. This paper offers a thorough examination on the complex changes in gender (in)equality in the labor market during China's marketization.