Architecture, a career option for women? Romania case

Many factors affecting women's participation in the workforce are categorized as sociocultural. Occupational segregation is mostly caused by gender based division of labor which marks radical differences between women's and men's abilities and responsibilities. Gender essentialism based on genetic data is indicating areas of gender competence according to socio-cultural expectations. The immersion of gender issues in architecture, traditionally seen as a male dominated profession, raises questions about the eligibility of women professionals especially because of their fragile presence in different instances of architecture: history, theory and criticism. The present paper is focused on the status of Romanian women architects and statistically analyzes current gender trends in architectural education, posing questions about how gender diversity influences architecture. Many great women have established successful careers and had an impact on Romanian architecture. The third part of the paper reviews some of the key points in the development of the Romanian women's movement of emancipation and democracy and celebrates feminine achievement in national architecture.