A housewife is a woman whose work is running or managing her family’s home, caring for her children, buying goods, cooking, housekeeping, cleaning and maintaining the home. They are also called homemakers, lady of the house, family manager etc. Household work is the most underrated job. Being a homemaker is considered to be a role that every woman is determined to do and India has almost 160 million homemakers.
Women have been a part of homemaking for centuries. They were always engaged in taking up works like sowing, growing vegetables while the men went hunting. They did all the work that could be done from home as they had to take care of their children along with that. After the World Wars, women got involved in industrial works as the men were either killed or injured after the war. Hence a lot of women earned and took care of their families. Later when patriarchy grew more, women were set aside only to be housewives. Its 21st century and unpaid work done by Indian women as housewives is 3.1 percent of the country’s GDP, but still, it is a thankless job, not even considered a job.
Why isn’t it a job?
Women doing household work cannot be considered as a job as it does not involve travelling, hard work, deadlines, pressure, a boss or politics. But this is not true as women dedicate all their lives working for their families and all they need in return is love and happiness. A sick leave is not applicable for them. They are rewarded with a smile by their family members and not paid for any of their work. Also there is a misconception that a woman at home gets more rest time and can relax whenever they want.
A recently released movie ‘The Great Indian Kitchen‘ explores the oppressive patriarchal values that have been prevalent for years. The mother-in-law in the movie is seen to be working day and night without any trouble. The father and his son too consider that the women can belong only to the kitchen and it is her sole duty. Few feminists argue that women doing housework are deprived of doing a job that they actually want to do. This is not true for all women as doing housework is also work and feminism is meant to give women the right to choose, not restrict the choices we can make. The housewives themselves feel awkward to find their friends have a job whereas being a housewife is a job which is never valued much.
The idea is that if you are born with XX chromosome, you are already good at household work
Swarna Rajagopalan, Political scientist
Changes Till Date
Role of male homemakers is not traditional in India, but it is socially accepted in urban areas. According to one sociologist’s study in 2006, 12% of unmarried Indian men would consider being a homemaker. The practise of sharing work at home between the partners is also very much prevalent in urban areas.
Recently, a newly founded political party in India, had promised salaries to housewives. Indian courts have rewarding compensation for unpaid work by homeworkers, but it is only given after their death. Paying wages to women can boost India’s declining female labour participation. Women save a lot of women when compared to other labour forces. On average, men spent 83 minutes in unpaid jobs while women spent 265 minutes.
Lots of women have also understood and don’t feel ashamed of ending their jobs for their children as it is not a sacrifice but a preferred choice. The will to do something that a woman prefers is really important. Highly educated women too sometimes prefer staying at home and this preference is to be considered.
I am successful because my home is clean, inviting and full of love
A successful mother
Way forward
- Respecting a person’s decision is essential and women have the right to decide for themselves.
- The women who lose their jobs due to maternity breaks have to be given job security.
- Wage for housewives is something that has to be discussed and more measures have to be taken in this area.
- People have to be made aware of the fact that women working outside and inside their homes have to be respected irrespective of their jobs.
Hence more steps for the working women in our homes and better laws can make the people aware of how important and valuable the job of a homemaker is.
Please go through the following links for more information:
- Being a housewife is a job, not role: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/relationships/love-sex/being-a-housewife-is-a-job-not-role/articleshow/15076039.cms
- BEING A HOUSEWIFE IN THE 21ST CENTURY: https://apriljharris.com/being-a-housewife-in-the-21st-century/
- You’re Just a Housewife? | Life Tak: https://youtu.be/cJIsy5vJIzs
- Freedom at Midnight, The Great Indian Kitchen and Feminism in Kerala: https://youtu.be/j1e5tVV0vrA
