The lockdown that was implemented in France in March 2020 to deal with the covid-19 epidemic brutally reinforced the role of housing in the course of daily life. This article analyses the material and spatial conditions under which the lockdown took place and how the assignment to the domestic sphere was reconstituted according to gender, family structure and social class during this period. To do so, the authors use the Coconel-Housing and Living Conditions survey, which is representative of the French adult population, and a series of 21 sociological portraits carried out in different social settings. While living as a couple tends to protect individuals against some negative effects of the crisis, having children systematically increases the risk of experiencing financial and personal difficulties and expands the gender gap, whatever the social class. Mothers appeared to be trapped in the domestic sphere: inside the home, they are less likely than men to benefit from personal space and to have personal time for their leisure, work or activities. They also leave their dwelling less often during the day, regardless of the reason.
- pandemic
- family
- social classes
- gender inequalities
- housing and living conditions