5 Wage Inequality and the Feminization of Precarity in the Digital

Summary

** The research paper, "Wage Inequality and the Feminization of Precarity in the Digital Labor Market in Mexico," authored by Angelina Claudia Sobrado Luna, Reyna Elizabeth Rodríguez Pérez, and Karina Jazmín García Bermúdez, is a chapter within the 2026 publication "The Economics of Gender Inequality in Latin America." This chapter critically analyzes the impact of digital platforms on labor markets, specifically focusing on how they contribute to gender-based wage inequality and the feminization of precarious employment. The study's methodological approach is rooted in feminist economics, which provides a framework for understanding how economic structures and policies perpetuate gender disparities. While not explicitly detailed for this specific chapter, the broader book context suggests the use of quantitative methods, such as sequence analysis and econometric modeling, to identify key determinants of labor outcomes like education, motherhood, and informality. The geographical focus on Mexico allows for a specific examination of these trends within a Latin American context. The paper's findings indicate that digital platforms, despite their potential to create new opportunities, paradoxically reinforce and exacerbate existing gender inequalities. This occurs by replicating patterns of wage discrimination and occupational segregation that are prevalent in traditional labor markets. The digital economy in Mexico, for instance, has been observed to both expand job opportunities and intensify precarious work, leading to a widening of wage gaps. The concept of the "feminization of precarity" is central to the paper, suggesting that women disproportionately experience these insecure and unstable working conditions within the digital sphere. The research also implicitly ties into broader discussions within the book, such as critiquing neoliberal feminism and the "superwoman" ideal, arguing that these cultural narratives can contribute to exploitation and gendered inequities by placing increased burdens on women. The implications of this research are significant for policy and further study. It highlights the urgent need to address structural inequalities embedded within the digital economy. The authors, through their feminist economics perspective, advocate for policy interventions that promote redistributive justice and actively integrate a gender perspective into education and public policy. Such measures are crucial to counteract the reinforcement of gender disparities and to ensure that the digital transformation of work leads to more equitable outcomes rather than further entrenching precariousness and wage inequality, particularly for women in vulnerable contexts like Mexico. The paper ultimately contributes to a comprehensive understanding of gender disparities by analyzing how digital labor markets can perpetuate and even amplify existing forms of discrimination. **