Household choresare often associated with women in the first place. Moreover, we notice that in the media and in collective thinking, women, most of the time, clean house. Even children associate the household with their mother.

The subject of inequalities in household chores is all too often taken lightly. Indeed, it is surely one of the biggest stereotypes of our time.

However, it is also more than just a stereotype. The inequality is perfectly proven since the Institut de la Statistique du Québec (ISQ) has looked into the issue through various studies. These studies show that even though men are generally “improving” markedly, there are still real differences. In Canada, only 7.4% of women never do the housework, compared to 13% of men, for example. While a woman will devote 26.6 hours to her domestic activities over a week, a man will only devote 17.5 hours (i.e. more than 10 hours less per week).

A small company that offers household services has proposed to highlight these different studies through a more readable infographic.

Highlighted in this way, the subject of household chores becomes much more concrete and much more affordable for everyone. However, despite its playful side, computer graphics remain a particularly interesting tool in the detection of inequalities.

Watch the infographic of the distribution of household tasks

Valued and non-valued tasks

Beyond the household, the infographic highlights other interesting elements. For example, that domestic tasks, which are more numerous for women, are correlated with a decrease in free time and a decrease in professional time.

In this sense, non-valued tasks (cleaning, meal preparation, etc.) are done to the detriment of tasks that are better valued (free time to play sports, training, studies, etc.).

It is also interesting to note that over 20 years, it is mainly men who have improved, but that women are no less so!

Domestic injustice

It is quite difficult to justify this domestic injustice… One might indeed ask why, after so many years, women are not asking for perfect equality. Namely a real distribution of household chores, 50/50 in other words.

Researchers have looked into the question ⁽¹⁾ and specified that this phenomenon could be due to a “subjective equality”. Understand by this that women are indulgent towards men. Indeed, when a woman does three times the household of a man, they generally feel that they are doing their “fair share”. This is the impact of primary socialization: a real factor in the internalization of women’s assignment to the domestic sphere.

Need help?

Are you having trouble separating household chores? Has the conflict become recurrent and frustrating? You don’t know how to negotiate the difference between what should be done by one and the other? This can be a sign of a bigger problem in the relationship that even influences your sexuality. A couples therapy consultation may be helpful in these circumstances.

Sources and references

⁽¹⁾ Baxter and Smart, 2011; Huerta et al., 2011

**This article was written by Le Chiffon vert