The Private and the Public: Family Ideology and Care of People with Disabilities

The gendered nature of care giving of the disabled is discussed against the background of feminist positions on care and paid work. It is argued that the private/public divide persist and that traditional family ideology serves to create a double or even triple bind as most care giving is done by women. An overview of research literature, popular literature and materials provided by support groups illustrate the extent to which this ideology persists. It is argued that we have to challenge the notion that care is primarily women’s work