Pink-collar worker

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A pink-collar worker is someone working in the care-oriented career field or in fields historically considered to be women's work. This may include jobs in the beauty industry, nursing, social work, teaching, secretarial work, upholstery, or child care.^[1] While these jobs may also be filled by men, they have historically been female-dominated (a tendency that continues today, though to a somewhat lesser extent) and may pay significantly less than white-collar or blue-collar jobs.^[2]

Women's work — notably with the delegation of women to particular fields within the workplace — began to rise in the 1940s, in concurrence with World War II.^[3] With men going to war, more women were required to perform jobs previously held primarily by men. For example, women became factory workers, due to the need for the mass manufacturing of commodities meant for military usage, as well as that of regular items used in day-to-day life.