Does transition to parenthood affect gender traits? The effect of pregnancy on perceived female and male traits

Abstract

How stable is gender identity when facing important gendered life events? In the study of gender identity, little research has focused on adulthood experiences that might modify or reinforce self-perceptions of gender traits. This article uses pregnancy and early parenthood to study stability and change in self-perceived female and male traits. We make use of data from a large-scale citizen panel in Sweden that tracks respondents who eventually become pregnant. The overall conclusion is that self-perceptions of gender traits are mostly stable throughout pregnancy and early parenthood in the comparatively gender-equal context of Sweden.