The fight for equality in the marriage institution dates back to the 1960s. Today, the world celebrates well over four decades of feminism. It is worth mentioning that the roles played by men and women, in building and managing a home have gradually changed over the years. When the search for equality began in the 1960s, researchers thought that the results would be instantaneous (Hill, 2011). They were wrong. The percentage of men that did not participate in the management of the home and performance of household chores was 85% in 1965. The percentage had dropped to 70% in the year 2003. As a result, women are currently spending 2 hours less on housework as opposed to the 1960s. Data in this area indicates that in the top 20 industrialized states, 80% of the men did not engage in housework in 1970 (Bianchi, 2006). Research in the same countries shows that the year 2005 saw the percentage drop to 67.7%. With the current trends in socio-economic fields, men should be equally involved in the management; planning and performance of household work so as to enable women contribute to the economic development of the family.
Available reliable data indicates that the change is taking place in both young and old couples. For the young couples, the sharing of roles comes as a response to the demands of the social order of modern living. To the old couples, such change is attributable to the fact that the woman has lived with the man long enough to change their traditional ideas. Carrying out research on this change, Sullivan observes that 33.3% of the men in the top 20 developed nations were actively participating in child rearing and household chores. Additionally, Hill (2011) observes that the percentage of men who do more household chores compared to their wives in Britain had risen from below 10% to 12%. This gives hope that the anticipated change is not far from being attained. The last three decades have seen remarkable social development in the western civilization.
Certain recommendations for keeping men involved in household chores and child rearing will not work, because they come as a threat to the traditional position of men in society. Men will always resist such moves. For instance, designing a task plan may make a man feel ruled. As a result, he will not comply with such a plan. This will widen the ideological gap between the genders. Secondly, using such services as the family counselor may not be effective as this weakens the communication between a man and a woman within the marriage institution (Bianchi et al, 2006). It kills the much needed confidence between the spouses. Reversing roles is a simple impossibility in the attempts of getting men to perform chores at home.
In my opinion, effective communication is the most effectual strategy of getting the father to play an equal role in raising the kids and performing chores to relive the woman. Effective communication means that the woman will have to start by appreciating the little that the man does (Sullivan 2006). This the father will grow fonder of working at homes. It is only through communication that the man can know that through working in the house, family happiness thrives. Other strategies include flexibility and openness to no-traditional rules. The couples in the contemporary world should appreciate that such rules bring more harm than good in social development.
Perhaps the most prominent question people may ask about the role of the man in the modern family is: why are researches ignoring the developing countries and the east? In point of fact, Africa and the eastern world have cultures that embrace male chauvinism and masculinity. As such, the rate at which they embrace change is almost negligible. Most researchers explain that social revolutions have their root in the developed countries, which the developing ones seek to emulate. Another question one may ask is: are there any impacts on the wellbeing of family associated with gender equality in role playing? Sullivan (2006) argues that, according to psychologists, men that assist their wives in managing and running the family build happier families and enjoy better sex lives. Overall, getting the man to be active in managing the home is beneficial.
References
Bianchi, S M., John P. R and Melissa A. M. (2006). Changing Rhythms of American Family Life (Rose Series in Sociology). New York: Russell Sage Foundation Publications.
Hill, A. (2011). Reimagining equality: Stories of gender, race, and finding home. Boston, Mass: Beacon Press.
Sullivan, O. (2006). Changing Gender Relations, Changing Families: Tracing the Pace of Change over Time (Gender Lens Series). New York: Rowman & Littlefield.
