Differently: equal parenting around the world

What's it like trying to equal parent in a country famous for it's strict work ethic and low fertility rate?

In this episode I speak to Japanese sociologists and fathers who have taken parental leave to understand how gender relations and parental attitudes have been changing in Japan over the past 30 years. Two central insights emerge.

Firstly, whilst fathers have slowly been taking on more domestic labour and child care duties, the trajectory for mothers hasn't been what you might expect.

Secondly, when politicians think about legislation around gender equality and parenthood are only partially thinking about gender equality - they're also thinking about fertility rates, and the economy as a whole. And this has a profound impact on the kind of legislation they decide to introduce.

Guests

Prof Hideki Nakazato: professor of sociology at Konan University

Kentaro Ogawa: father of three currently on parental leave

Prof Junko Nishimura: professor of family sociology at Ochanomizu University

Kei Maejima: CEO of Antway, father who previously took parental leave

Shodai Hirano: founder and director of the NGO Daddy Support

Sections

00:00 - Introduction

01:11 - Japanese Paternity Leave: a short history

06:53 - Changes for mothers

15:40 - Food preparation and class

24:52 - Parents at work

34:25 - Daddy Support & Fathering Japan

38:25 - Gender equality or fertility rates?

49:58 - What the future holds

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What's it like trying to equal parent during wartime?

My guests in this episode, Dmytro and Ksenia, live with their daughter in Kyiv. In this episode, they talk to me about their experience deciding to become parents whilst their country was at war, and what it has been like trying to share the responsibilities of parenthood equally with few role models or like-minded parents to compare notes with.

Sections:

00:51 - Deciding to become parents in wartime

06:37 - Having a baby in wartime

12:00 - Sharing responsibilities

20:25 - Alone against the patriarchy

32:27 - Enduring differences between motherhood and fatherhood

46:22 - Parents and children in wartime

If you liked this episode, you can support this project by buying me a coffee:

Buy me a coffee

Links:

Website

Instagram

Welcome to Differently - a podcast series about equal parenting around the world. In this show, I'm talking to parents and experts in different countries to learn about the specific challenges they face, and the ways they're approaching these challenges.

Music credit: 'more pigs' provided by mobygratis.

Links:

Website

Instagram