For decades women have been told that their place is in the kitchen, while men go out to earn a living. After fighting for equality and proving that we are more than just caregivers, women finally gained the freedom to pursue their own careers. So, are we going out to work? Yes! But has anything really changed for us? Unfortunately, not much.
While women are stepping into the workforce, they are still expected to come home and take care of household chores. Don’t get me wrong—I believe that everyone, regardless of gender, should pitch in. But why is it still seen as a woman’s responsibility when she’s also out earning a living? Why does this selective equality persist in our society? A woman recently shared her thoughts on X (formerly Twitter) about how millennial and GenZ women have it the hardest, and OMG, it was so relatable.
In the post she wrote, “Have met so many women with high profile jobs and young children in the past few days and I really think this generation of women (the millennials and Gen Z) has it the hardest.” She added, “In our grandmother’s times women were told they were only supposed to do one thing and that is taking care of the house and the kids. Education was not necessary, going out of the house wasn’t, your life began in your house and ended in your husband/children’s home”
“Our mother’s generation of women (the boomers) were told to get a basic education and a job that would allow you to do everything for your family, house and kids. So teachers, bank clerks. Say no to promotions or transfers. Do everything your mother did and hold a basic job. Then we have us. We were told to have the aspirations, study well, work hard, score great marks, study in the best colleges, get a job on day 1 of placement. Oh but also everything your grandmother did you have to continue to do. Cook, clean, wash, childcare, manage a house.”
“But also manage a stressful job and manage the finances and be ambitious but also don’t forget to wish your mother in law on her birthday or order a gift for your husband’s sibling’s child’s birthday. Travel for work but make sure you plan meals for your kids and order groceries“
She concluded by saying that, “We have repeatedly been told women can have it all in this day and age. The career, the family the children, the vacations. But God, no one told us women can have it all but will have to DO IT ALL too.”
Other women in the thread were quick to jump and say how they find this relatable.
As a millennial working woman, I’ve experienced firsthand how I’m not only expected to handle household chores but also juggle meetings, deadlines, and work responsibilities. It’s not something I was explicitly told to do, but rather something I’ve seen others around me doing. Even if I choose not to balance both office and household duties, I’m often reminded that once I get married, I’ll still be expected to do it all. And yet, the same expectation doesn’t apply to men, who for centuries have been viewed solely as breadwinners, with little expectation to contribute equally at home.
So have things actually changed for us? No. But will they? Only time will tell.
Featured Image: OTT Play
