To what extent has the labour market been feminized?

Feminization of labour refers to the rapid and substantial increase in the share of women in paid employment. The term is also used to describe the changing nature of employment, where irregular conditions that were once thought to be the hallmark of womens secondary employment have become widespread for both sexes.  (U.N. General Assembly, 1999, cited in Maclean, H et al (2004))

Between 1851 and 1951 there was little change in the proportion of women entering paid work. However, in the 1950s and 1960s, economic growth created expansion in employment, an expansion met in the U.K. first by seeking Commonwealth workers and then by recruiting women….(short extract)