Thread by @johannarickne

On this International Women’s Day, me and @ollefolke tell the story of gender equality in Sweden in four animated graphs (thread).

How has relative earnings, marriage, parenthood, and the household divisions of income changed over time for 50 year olds in Sweden?

1. In the 1970s, a woman had to be in the top 20% of women earners to make it into the top 50% of the national earnings distribution.

The figure plots women’s and men’s place in the total earnings distribution (Y-axis) against their placement within their sex (X-axis).

Over time, the earnings distributions of men and women have become much more similar, and the most dramatic shift came between 1970 and 1980.

2. In the 1970s, higher earnings for women meant a much lower probability of being married, while higher higher earnings for men meant a much greater probability.

The graph shows the proportion of married women and men (Y-axis) across earnings percentiles within sex (X-axis).

Over time, marriage rates evened out to so that high and low-income women’s probability of being married was not much different from men’s.

3. In the 1970s, the chance of having at least 1 child dropped precipitously for women with relatively high earnings.

The figure shows the share of 50 year olds with at least one child (Y-axis) across earnings percentiles within sex (X-axis).

Over time, the trade-off for high-earning women was almost completely removed. Men with lower earnings also saw a higher probability of family formation compared with high-earning men.

4. In the 1970s, women’s shares of household earnings were very low. A women in the top 20% of women earners was still just making half of the household income.

The graph shows the share of household earnings (Y-axis) across earnings percentiles within sex (X-axis).

With the rapid growth of the dual earner family, women and men now make quite equal shares household earnings.

In sum, we have come a long way since the 1970s!