Spouses Until Fairly Recently, Women

Spouses Until fairly recently, women were excluded from almost every significant matter of social, economic or political life. Property ownership, education, and voting privileges were reserved for men only. Women were considered to be valuable only in their roles as caretakers of men and children. In accordance with their narrowly defined social roles, women also did not participate in the job market. Domestic labor was the only field in which women worked, and yet domestic labor has been and continues to be unpaid work.

In this sense, women have played the role of domestic servant to men by raising children and tending the house only in exchange for room and board. In the 20th century, women received the right to vote and be educated equally. Their participation in the job market was minimal at first, including low-wage helper jobs like secretary. Thus, unpaid domestic labor remained part of the woman's role in society. The Civil Rights movement placed women's rights as being integral to human rights.

Although women continue to earn less than their male counterparts, women are nevertheless serving in positions of political, social, and economic power. Their role in society has changed, but women continue to find themselves working an extra unpaid shift in the house. Inequality in gender role relations has caused strained relationships, divorces, and mental health problems. Domestic partners must redefine their roles, responsibilities, and relationships to account for the shift in social values and gender norms. Each partnership is different, and should be evaluated differently.

Many women who enjoy a great deal of financial security in their relationship might find that domestic work is suitable to their needs and lifestyle. In those situations, the female makes the choice to stay at home, tending to house and children. Many women either have to work outside the home or choose to develop a career. Women who work outside the home should speak to their spouses about domestic chores and responsibilities. In an egalitarian, healthy relationship, the spouses can and should reach an agreement about domestic duties.

Wealthier couples may opt to hire professionals to take care of domestic chores. Those on a tighter budget might want to write down specific roles and responsibilities. In Norway, a government-sponsored project asked participating couples to radically alter their approach to family roles. Couples took turns working and staying at home. The role shifts allowed male partners to spend more time with their children, as well as appreciate the extent of the domestic duties that women are still traditionally expected to perform ("Behavior: Swapping Family Roles").

Norway remains one of the world's most gender egalitarian societies. Role swapping threatens a status quo that has been engrained into the public consciousness. In most cultures, gender roles are clearly defined. When those roles are challenged, some individuals might become uncomfortable. Even in the Norwegian experiment, men at first feared that their masculinity would be threatened ("Behavior: Swapping Family Roles"). However, the participants in the Norwegian experiment ended up appreciating the opportunity.

In the United States there is a growing number of men who fulfill the domestic roles traditionally assigned to women. Known as househusbands or stay-at-home dads, the male spouse is the one who stays at home, cleans the house, takes care of the children, and goes grocery shopping. The wife is the breadwinner. When the wife is better educated or has a more lucrative career than her husband, this situation is not just possible but more feasible.

Household chores need to be done, and it does not matter which of the two partners completes those tasks. In fact, some domestic chores involve heavy lifting, which makes them easier for the male partner to perform anyway. Many men find their role as a househusband rewarding, because it allows them to spend more time with their children ("The truth about life as a househusband"). As such family situations become more normalized, the stigma of gender role reversal regarding domestic duties will vanish.

Domestic chores should be shared to promote egalitarian social norms and values of social justice. Children learn from their parents. Children who grow up in more egalitarian households will be more likely to mimic those behaviors in their own lives. Moreover, unequal role sharing in the household has a detrimental affect on women's income, self-esteem, and mental health. One study shows that "a more equitable distribution of work in the home is necessary before labor market inequalities between the sexes can be ameliorated," (Coverman).

Inequality in the home is therefore a strong reflection of grosser inequalities in the world at large. Coverman notes that women with the potential to earn high wages are hit the hardest, more so than working-class women. Regardless of earnings potential, when both partners work, women should not.