New Paper on Fatherhood, Masculinity, and Work

I’m excited to share our new paper, “Compromising Fatherhood: Expansion Versus Constriction in Fathers’ Gender Identities and Role Performances,” now published in the Journal of Marriage and Family (JMF)!

Co-authored with Casey Scheibling , this project explores a paradox at the heart of contemporary fatherhood. Many fathers today actively reject “toxic” masculinity and embrace care, emotional openness, and involvement at home—yet still find themselves pulled back into traditional work–family arrangements once everyday routines and institutional pressures set in.

Drawing on in-depth interviews with Canadian fathers, we show how fatherhood often involves both identity expansion and role constriction. To manage the tension between who they feel they are as men and how they act as fathers, many participants make what we call identity–behavior compromises—narrative and practical strategies that help reconcile ideals of gender equality with persistent inequalities in practice.

This paper contributes to ongoing debates about caring masculinities, gender equality, and the limits of cultural change without structural transformation. Even in a context with relatively strong parental leave policies, masculine work norms continue to shape family life in powerful ways.

I’m deeply grateful to Casey for being such a thoughtful collaborator, and to everyone who offered feedback along the way.

https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.70051