Has recession impacted men more than women?

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - The latest recession seems to show there is still a big difference between the size of the pay-cheques taken home by men and women.  An article in this week's Maclean's Magazine is exploring the dynamics of what's being called the "Man-cession."

Rachel Mendelson, author of "Head of the Household", says more women have had to assume the bread-winner role as their husbands lose their blue-collar jobs.  The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives says their statistics show men have suffered 76 per cent of the overall job losses.

Mendelson says this takes a toll on the relationship between husband and wife.  "There's sort of a sense of, you know, you're not fulfilling your role, you're not taking care of your duty as a husband."  She says it also takes a toll financially when families are forced to live on only one salary--and a much smaller salary at that. "Despite the fact that they've caught up with men in terms of education and in terms of their potential and, you know, all the sectors that they've integrated, their wages are still not on par and that's really what the issue is."

It's not that women aren't interested in high paying careers. Mendelson says a lack of affordable child care means women will often have to take time out of the workforce in order to look after their kids. They are also taking lower-paying, part-time jobs.  Mendelson says studies show that even highly-educated women are still making thousands of dollars less than their male counter-parts.

There is some good news. Mendelson thinks the out-of-work men may end up becoming champions for the gender-equality cause after trying to live on a woman's smaller salary.