“At Home, Men Were Kings”

Transnational Filipino Families in Canada Re-Negotiating Gender Roles

Denise L. Spitzer, PhDCanada Research Chair in Gender, Migration and Health

University of Ottawaand

Sara Torres, PhDPostdoctoral Fellow

L’Université de Montréal

Mary: In the Philippines, my husband felt like a king!

Because we had been separated for five years, we had to learn to work together as a whole all over again.

It was difficult for them to understand that I was working two jobs and was exhausted. I needed their help at home.

At first, they blamed me for their unhappiness. There was also a lot of tension in my relationship with my husband.

I was pressured and stressed. I felt like a slave.

Gender + Migration

Women: “The light of the home”

Migrant Workers: “The heroes of the economy”

So what about women migrant workers? – Supporting families or breaking them?– Dutiful daughters or wild women?

Natalie

“You have to listen to me because I know what is going on here. Especially my husband, he complains, but you have to listen to me. Later you’ll understand why it is like that. You will realize it like that. …It’s a very big change for them. Very big change.”

Clara

We’re helping together; I’m cooking, he’s doing the cleaning. Or I do the laundry and he’s folding the clothes. There is a division of labour, helping each other. When you’re alone, everything is yours, and I’m tired. But when he arrive, I’m really, really happy.

Calisto

“I’m a highly skilled professional, but when I came here it’s sad to say that my experience, my educational, it’s not in their standard. .. Then my expectation is not met… Because this kind of job that I’m working now, in my own observation is the lowest grade because on my resume it say you are a housekeeper.”

Solange

Our relationship becomes stronger and stronger. .. We are in the state of knowing each other because we have separated for a very long time…and then you build again the relationship. We also undergo the storm in our relationship, but we built it again.

Conclusions

Migration can have positive and/or negative impact on gender relations

Shifting power relations may increase tension

Re-negotiating gender roles can lead to enhanced relationships

Salamat Po

Thank you Merci Beaucoup