ABSTRACT
Feminism and women’s studies have been making ground in Taiwan for two to three decades. However, research on the topic of women and housing policy remains limited. Feminist research in Europe and North America found that the social designation of women’s roles in the areas of production and reproduction has affected their economic status, and in turn their housing condition. Consequently, the issue of women and housing should be approached from the perspective of the domestic obligations and economic marginalization of women (Saegert and Clark, 2006). In most cultures dominated by the heterosexual, patriarchal family, women are primarily responsible for the domestic sphere, a situation which contributes to their economic disadvantage. At the same time, in heterosexual societies, living space for gays and lesbians and the resources allocated to them by housing policies are limited. This chapter will examine the status of Taiwan’s women in terms of changes in women’s roles in the areas of production and reproduction, and the impact of housing policy on women.
