ABSTRACT
The sex segregation of occupations is a prominent feature of labor markets in contemporary societies (Jacobs 1989a; Jacobs and Lim 1992). Sex segregation is responsible for much of the wage gap between men and women in the labor force. Incumbents in female-dominated occupations, both male and female, earn significantly less than their counterparts in male-dominated fields (England et al. 1988). Segregation has been criticized on the grounds of efficiency as well as equity, since it poses artificial barriers to the matching of individuals' interests and skills and the jobs for which they would be best suited. Efforts to reduce segregation and its effects include affirmative action legislation, pay-equity (comparable-worth) reforms, the expansion of professional and vocational training opportunities for women, and the expansion of child-care facilities and support for working women, among others.
