Interesting article. Being that I come from the persepctive of a more tradiional marriage, I think it isnt about chores per say, but about what chores are done by the man. There are things my wife doesn’t want any part of: Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC, Painting, Lawn Mantenance, and generally fixing stuff that breaks. She doesn’t want me getting into her business and I don’t want her in mine. She picks the menus, kids clothing, wash, and other domestic responsibilities. I think the reality is that we’re pretty happy performing the roles we like. I don’t have to pretend to be a mother and wife, and she doesn’t have to be “he woman”. We just respect each other as is. I can take care of her responsibilities if she is out of the home, of course, but no nearly as well. She could do mine too, but she’d hate it. Meanwhile, I make the paycheck we live on together. AS the kids grow up, she can add to the income if she likes, but it’s not at all required. We live within our means and that isn’t likely to change.
In short, straight woman don’t want to be married to “man chick”.
I joke, but I actually prefer doing things like the laundry because that way I know it will come out the way I want it to. I am better with more traditional female stuff, and my husband is better at (attempting!) to fix things. It’s probably the way we were raised, and what skills we learned. My niece was babysitting for us and my husband “as a favor” threw her $100 cashmere sweater she had left at our house into the laundry and then dried it on high. When it came out I think it could have fit the cat! His excuse was well why did she need a $100 cashmere sweater? My answer was “well now she’s going to have two because you need to replace that one!”
Feeling needed (yes, even in such things as mundane chores) is an important part of marriage.
As a never married woman with an old home, CAN I CLONE YOU???