Switching Roles from Breadwinner to Household Duties
From From Angela Davis Women, Race and Class, The new consciousness associated with the contemporary women’s movement has encourage increasing numbers of women to demand that their men provide some relief from this drudgery. Already, more men have begun to assist their partners around the house, some of them even devoting equal time to household chores. But how many of these men have liberated themselves from the assumption that housework is women’s work”? How many of them would not characterize their housecleaning activities as “helping” their women partners?
If it were at all possible simultaneously to liquidate the idea that housework is women’s work and to redistribute it equally to men and women alike, would this constitute a satisfactory solution? While most women would joyously hail the advent of the “househusband,” the desexualisation of domestic labor would not really alter the oppressive nature of the work itself. In the final analysis, neither women nor men should waste precious hours of their lives on work that is neither stimulating nor productive.
It’s the 21st century many things have happened. A big thing that’s occurring is that women and men are switching roles. More men are being the stay-at home dads. And wives are being the breadwinners of the household. The topic has been brought up many times, The topic has been brought up many times; why are men still looked down upon if men they choose to be a stay-at-home father? Those that choose to stay at home are very happy and have a great relationship with their partner.
A good example, I’ve seen was my cousin. He and his wife on a mutual agreement decided to switch roles once they start a family. My cousin graduated with bachelor’s degree in computer science and was working for a successful tech company. His wife was a full-time graduate student working on her PH.D in Asian Studies. At the time my cousin was the breadwinner, supporting himself and his wife. His wife would do the majority of the household chores. Once his wife finished graduate school, things for them began to change. His wife was able to find a job teaching in another country. My cousin decided to follow suit and move to another country. Once settled in their new home. The idea of starting a family came up. The countless hours of talking about, who would take care of the family and who would have more time to watch the child. After a year, my cousin became a father. My cousin and his wife concluded that he would be the one to stay home and take care of the child and household duties. His wife would be a breadwinner and be a full-time professor at the university. When I talk to my cousin, and ask how it feels to be a stay at home dad? His response “It’s very different and took me sometime to adjust. But now I love it and I don’t mind taking on the household duties that normally a women would do. I do the majority of the cooking and cleaning and shopping for groceries. But I understand how hard my partner has had to work to get in the position where she is at now. I wouldn’t change a thing.”
I leave off with these two questions to you readers. Would you switch roles with your partner? Would you be that stay at home-partner doing the household duties?
