Women and leisure in the Italian context.

Abstract Gender is an important indicator of the processes of social change affecting contemporary society, although in the field of leisure research, it has not always received attention. To fill this gap, recent research proposes to include gender as a significant aspect in leisure paradigms. The chapter aims to analyse gender differences in the use of leisure time within the Italian context using data periodically produced by official statistics. Data, collected over time, make it possible to observe the changes occurring in the way men and women spend their leisure time. The chapter is structured according to the main dimensions of leisure, such as social relationships, sports practice, tourism, cultural participation, and satisfaction with leisure time. To observe gender differences, statistical methods (descriptive and multivariate analysis) were implemented. The results highlight the existence of strong differences in the way in which men and women spend their leisure time. Gender differences are often linked to demographic or sociocultural characteristics, such as age, level of education, or economic conditions. Results presented in the chapter could be used to frame future research aimed at solving weakness and to fill information gaps in Italian leisure gender studies.