In a shift away from traditional gender roles, where the wife handles household chores while working five days a week, the idea of a trad husband is gaining prominence, according to a report by The Times.
What is a trad husband?
A trad husband is typically a man who chooses to take up domestic chores, the report says. He may prioritise taking care of the home, supporting his wife, raising children, and other household duties.
However, a poll of friends and family cited in the report states that in many cases, the woman or the partner who assumes the more stereotypically “feminine” role in a relationship, ends up doing most of the work.
A study published in February shows that the gender gap in household chores is narrowing. It found that married men in the US now do 40 per cent more chores than in 2003-2005, especially in cleaning and laundry.
What has brought this change?
During the Covid-19 pandemic, both partners began sharing housework, and many men never reverted to old habits.
The report quotes author Melissa Milkie, a sociologist at the University of Toronto who calls it a “hopeful study.”
“Men are doing ‘women’s work’. With men taking on more female-type domestic activities, the gendered norms associated with different forms of unpaid labour may be becoming redefined," Milkie said.
“It also shows this man is secure. He’s not tied to a stereotypical notion of gender roles for his relationship and he is unbothered about how other people might judge him," she added.
According to her, domestic tasks should be viewed as part of a relationship and valued equally to paid work.
“There are men who work as much as their partners but who just love cooking or gardening, for example, and they do it all because they want to. Why would we deny them that pleasure? Domestic tasks don’t have to feel like chores — for some men, they are a way of winding down, relaxing or taking time out from their demanding jobs," Milkie said.
A recent study confirmed that husbands who assist with household chores do more than just share responsibilities; they also boost their wives’ mental well-being. Research from South Korea showed that each additional hour a man spends on housework reduces his partner’s risk of experiencing low mood or depression by 12 per cent.