Intimacy and Its Impact on the Motherhood Penalty in the Chinese Context

The motherhood penalty is an important issue in the field of family and gender inequality research. As highlighted by existing empirical studies and literature, factors, such as the human capital, job characteristics, working performance, employer discrimination, and family structure, significantly influence the manifestation of the motherhood penalty. However, a notable limitation of current research is its heavy reliance on quantitative data analysis. Moreover, there is a paucity of exploration into the nuances of how the motherhood penalty affects intimate relationship dynamics, particularly within a Chinese context.

This study, therefore, with a primary focus on Chinese society, endeavours to explore how the motherhood penalty engenders power imbalances and emotional fluctuations within couples. Specifically, it incorporates a male perspective through the total of 20 men with the semi-structured interviews in Wuhan, China, examining their perceptions of their wives' experiences, their self-identification within the family experiences, and the transformation of intimate relationships. By discussing the experiences and emotions of men, this study seeks to paint a more holistic picture of familial interaction and to explore the intersections of gender inequality and intimacy.

In conclusion, this study is committed to fill the gap in the study of motherhood penalty and intimacy within a Chinese framework, and to provide new ideas for solving the deep-seated problems existing in the modern family through interdisciplinary discussion.