Working for Nothing, edited by Louise Toupin
A Wages for Housework Anthology
In Working for Nothing: A Wages for Housework Anthology, editor Louise Toupin brings together some of the most important works related to the Wages for Housework movement.
The various pieces in the book, which include speeches, notices, articles, and extracts from longer works, explore the issues around the unpaid work women do. Authors of various articles point out the ways that “working for nothing,” as women are expected to do in many of their roles, serves the interests of capitalism.
The original publication or creation dates of the materials included range from 1973 to 1981. Pulling these materials into one place is helpful for researchers and others, and helps to ensure that the materials remain accessible to people who might have an interest in them.
Some articles delve into Marxist theory. Others examine the ways in which the experiences of lesbians, Black lesbians, Black women, and prostitutes provide a different perspective on the issues around the unpaid work performed by women. Some articles advocate for a wage for the unpaid work performed, while others argue that it isn’t the issue of money so much as recognition, acknowledgement, and awareness.
One of the chapters I found most interesting explored the historical evolution of the notion of the “housewife,” contrasting pre-Industrial-Revolution styles of living, when there were less defined roles, with more modern expectations. This chapter argues that the expectations around women’s role as “housewife” developed more recently than one might think.
Some articles were written by Canadian authors, while others were written from the perspective of women in Italy, Switzerland, or Germany, as examples. In this way, Working for Nothing heightens awareness of issues that are similar across countries.
One of the things my grad school sport history professor, Dr. Alexander (Sandy) Young, drilled into students was the importance of capturing history before it disappears. Working for Nothing serves a similar purpose.
As time marches on, there’s a greater chance of original materials like magazines either physically disappearing or falling out of peoples’ awareness. By pulling these materials into one place, the authors are serving a purpose in preserving past thinking.
As information on the website of publisher Between the Lines notes, Working for Nothing is “the first comprehensive anthology of the key texts of the international Wages for Housework movement.” Working for Nothing serves as a useful resource in helping readers understand the movement and its main arguments.
About the Author
Louise Toupin lives in Montreal, Quebec. She has taught political science at Université du Québec à Montréal. She was a member of the Québec Women’s Liberation Front (1969-71) and co-authored numerous anthologies of activist and feminist writings. She is the author of Wages for Housework: A History of an International Feminist Movement, 1972-77.
About the Reviewer
Ontario resident Lisa Timpf writes poetry, book reviews, short stories, and creative nonfiction. Her speculative poetry collections Cats and Dogs in Space (2025) and In Days to Come (2022) are available from Hiraeth Publishing in print and electronic formats. You can find out more about Lisa’s writing projects at http://lisatimpf.blogspot.com/. Lisa is also on Bluesky, @lisatimpf.bsky.social, and her author Facebook page is @lisa.timpf.author.
Book Details
Publisher: Between the Lines
Publication date: March 2026
Length: 400 pages
ISBN: 9781771136914