Men in Aprons Get More Sex
By: Beth McHugh 2008
Now there’s a headline that should be on the front page of every newspaper from the larger city to the smallest town.
Sociologist Scott Colrane of the University of California reports what most women have known for decades: The more housework that men chip in with around the house, the higher the level of marital satisfaction felt by women.
Despite the fact that WWII changed the world forever, and had a bigger long-term effect on gender boundaries than it probably ever had on the changing boundaries of post-war Europe, men have been lagging far behind in terms of housework contribution hours.
With most household duties still largely carried by women, despite the fact the most now hold down jobs outside the home, the potential for marital dissatisfaction has escalated alarmingly since women joined the workforce en masse.
But it looks like at last the message is finally getting through according to a recent survey. American men have effectively doubled the amount of housework they do. Of course, that doesn’t mean that they are doing 50% of the load, but what it does mean is that men are finally accepting the inequality of one partner working full time and having to bear the brunt of the housework and childrearing chores.
And the reward? Therapists, particularly those specializing in couples counseling, report that with an increase in housework contribution by men, comes an increase in sexual activity between the partners. This makes perfect sense, since for years, most women are exhausted by the time they switch off the bedside light.
A steady diet of lunch-making, homework supervision, cooking, washing, cleaning and chauffeuring, on top of the wage-earning activities, does not make for a healthy sex life. But with more and more men picking up the apron, there has been a direct correlation between males doing housework and the frequency of sex.
It’s certainly something to talk to your loved one about over
the roar of the spin cycle.
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