
A recent article brings gender equality in housework back to the center of the debate, emphasizing that men should participate equally in housework, not because science says so, but simply because it is right and logical.
A study by Alyssa Croft, from the University of British Columbia, shows that girls who grow up in families where housework is divided equally between parents are more likely to have broad professional ambitions.
"The way parents handle housework seems to play a particular role in shaping girls' vision of their lives," Croft points out.
For the author of the article, this became even more significant when her little daughter told her that she wanted to be “daddy” when she grew up, because “ moms always go shopping and take their kids to the doctor .”
This honest comment made the couple realize that they needed to set an even more balanced example.
But beyond the impact on children, the reason men should do their part is simple: because it's right.
Statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics show that 82% of women do housework every day, compared to only 65% of men, while for cleaning and laundry this figure drops to 20% for men.
The author emphasizes that there is no need for sophisticated excuses: men should wash the dishes, sweep and clean, not to get credit or to influence their daughters’ ambitions, but because they also eat off those plates and live in that house. “Enough with the excuses, just do it,” she concludes.