OCCUPATIONAL GENDER DESEGREGATION IN THE 1980S

This article examines the change in occupational gender segregation in the 1980s using 1980 and 1990 Public Use Microdata Samples data. This research reveals a continuing decline in occupational gender segregat ion in the 1980s, but at a somewhat slower pace than in the 1970s. Abo ut three quarters of the overall desegregation was due to the changing gender composition of occupations, and about one quarter was due to t he faster growth of more integrated occupations. Further analyses conf irm the importance of women's but not men's changing occupational dist ribution in promoting desegregation.