ABSTRACT
It has been argued that caring is a gendered occupation, reflecting wider ideologies about what is considered “women’s work” in Western cultures. What does this mean for caregivers who aim to construct a masculine identity in this environment? Or for those who come from different cultural backgrounds? And how do we separate being a professional from the enactment of gender?
In this chapter, data is examined from New Zealand eldercare homes, with the analysis focusing on two male caregivers as they interact with residents. The influence of sociocultural norms on identity construction is explored: gendered discourse is relevant, but the interpretation of interactional behaviour is clearly contextually dependent. The way the men negotiate masculine, professional, and ethnic identities makes our understanding of stereotypically gendered professions more complex to include other salient sociocultural constraints.
The analytical approach we take draws on Interactional Sociolinguistics within a social constructionist framework, acknowledging the role of co-construction and the ongoing dynamic negotiation of identity in interaction. The model draws on sociocultural norms including, but not limited to, gender and cultural norms. Our analysis demonstrates that features that appear gendered may also index professional identity and cultural identity, and we argue that there is a need for a more nuanced understanding of “gendered” workplaces.
