When MEN Embraced the MOP During Lockdown – Will The Change In Gender Roles Last?

Advocates of feminism however refrain from praising men doing housework, claiming that it should have happened long ago to bridge the stereotypical gender norms.

Advocates of feminism however refrain from praising men doing housework, claiming that it should have happened long ago to bridge the stereotypical gender norms.

The average Indian man is no longer seen lounging on the sofa with the T.V remote in his hand. You can now spot him waging a battle with the ladle and the lentil soup in the kitchen or peeking under the table armed with the glorious mop and bucket.

The COVID 19 pandemic, which has turned our lives upside down, achieved what the feminists couldn’t. The men, most of them reluctant, have now entered the unknown territory of household chores. This has marked a dynamic change in the working process of the average Indian household.

Why men needed to step up

With the unfortunate absence of domestic help, most families have experienced a brutal reality check. It was becoming exceedingly stressful for even the multitasking women to juggle the pressures of work from home and house chores simultaneously.

In such a situation, the men had to step up in shining armor armed with multifarious weapons ranging from the mop to the chef’s hat.

In this context, Indian film and T.V personalities are leaving no stone unturned to influence men to help out their spouses by glorifying housework. Popular soap actors like Karanvir Bohra and Arjun Bijlani are seen imparting such advice through their charismatic social media posts.

Too little too late?

Advocates of feminism however refrain from praising men doing housework, claiming that it should have happened long ago to bridge the stereotypical gender norms. But, men are not to be blamed alone for their inactivity towards domestic chores.

Most women, including the 21st-century independent ones, have always prevented their male counterparts from entering the area of housework. They claimed that men are not as swift and efficient as themselves. However, the nationwide lockdown has formed both the genders to review the social perspectives that shape their lives.

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What will happen post pandemic?

Now, the question arises whether the current trend of the man with the mop will prevail in the post-pandemic life. Is this extraordinary social change here to stay or will it remain as a mere post on Instagram by open-minded individuals?

While the answers to these questions remain uncertain, the women can, for the time being, bear witness to the historical sight of their spouses cleaning dust bunnies from underneath the sofa and embracing the mop as an essential lifestyle item.

Image source: a still from the film Ki and Ka

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