Australian men make the worst husbands in the world because they loathe helping out with the housework, a British study claims.
An economist from Oxford University found that women wanting to settle down were better off finding a bloke from Scandinavia, the United States or Britain than Australia.
Study author Dr Almudena Sevilla-Sanz said that based on her study of 12 developed countries, men and women were both more likely to cohabit or marry if they believed their partner would help out with the household chores and child care.
But it appears that when it comes to finding a husband willing to help out, Australian women have a tough time.
Dr Sevilla-Sanz's study ranked Australia as the least egalitarian society, making its men unattractive marriage partners because they were more unlikely to do household chores.
Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, the US and Northern Ireland were judged to be the most egalitarian countries.
Next were the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Austria and Australia in last place.
Apparently men in egalitarian societies take on more of a domestic role, so the likelihood of forming a harmonious household becomes greater, resulting in a higher proportion of couples setting up households. Ahhh can't you just feel the domestic bliss?The study's findings were based on a survey of 13,500 men and women aged 20 to 45 from each of the 12 countries.
The study found that women living in less egalitarian countries were 20 to 50 per cent less likely to live with a man compared with women in more egalitarian societies. Wayeh! I have an excuse for remaining single!
Yeh but if we go all egalitarian and stuff, does that mean I have to start carrying the Esky, mowing the lawn and putting out the sulo bins?
Thanks to the Cambridge Women's Photography Collective
38 comments:
Actually I know very few men who help out much ..That's why women live longer and are inevitably stronger in all ways sandy
make that emotionally , and mentaly not so much physically however getting there. I carried a lot of heavies this week!!Sk
I just want a man who kills the spiders. The rest I can do.
Ah very true I think although some Brit blokes are just the same - my late husband was not one for housework or cooking although he was a trained chef!!
The beauty of my relationship now is that we both have seperate houses and are together when we want to be - couple of evenings and weekends - gives him time to do his housework???
What is wonderful about this study is how it has been reported in different parts of the world according to the Google links I looked at. In the British press it attracted headlines suggesting that "British Men Make the Best Husbands", in the American Press it was "American Men Make The Best Husbands" whilst in the Scandinavian press it was - you guessed it - "Men from Norway and Sweden Make the Best Husbands". Now I could find nothing linking to the Australian press but I suspect there it was "Australian Men Make the Worst Husbands". This seems to say something about cultures.
I'd settle for a great kisser as long as he mows the lawn too.
I was one of the lucky ones. My dearly beloved would have been happy for me to sit and paint my nails all day while her did the chores. Alas nail painting never turned me on, I was happier decorating, cooking or working out of doors.
Then he spoiled it all by dying! I miss him and not just for washing the dishes.
my wife thinks helping clean, especially me washing the dishes is sexy. maybe more men should try it.
Unfortunately I am among the ones who does some housework chores. If one day I ever marry, my condition will be that she has to do the laundry. I hate that more than anything. Shopping is more or less on the same level. I accept the remaining. I would also like gardening if it wasn't so hot in Hungary in the summer. I heard it is good for your nerves.
What they don't tell you is that in the U.S., women use the lash on men in the kitchen. Works every single time.
I wonder what men and women (over 45) have to say?
I, for one, married a Brit (born and reared) who's since been immersed in Irish culture.
It's worked for us!
(I know, I'm VERY lucky)
Well, I could make another snaggy comment, but I'll refrain. Yes, that's the drawback, isn't it, if men do their fair share, then women have to do the traditionally male stuff as well. And who wants to do DIY or the heavy lifting or clearing the drains? Not me, for sure.
Unfortunately I suspect Oz guys will revel in the survey results rather than being prompted to change their old-fashioned ways.
Hum..I don't know!Really?Bah!It's generalisations!Isn't it?Like all italians like football,I ended up with the only one who doesn't give a damn about football!Or all french are good kissers,well I tasted it,trust me,it isn't true!Or all british people are drunkers,WAIT!That might be true!LOL
Are you going to look for a man abroad?:D
Have a nice day :)
Don't you love it when you find a good tidbit that you save for just the right time on your blog? :) Love that last shot! I don't mind cleaning ... but the cooking part I really dislike and, God bless him, Eli loves to cook. It's his form of relaxation ... he gets home from work and makes a beeline to the kitchen. I'm a blessed gal!
a housecleaner twice per month probably saved my marriage. Neither of us wanted to do much of the cleaning and the expectation that the other one would do it was cause for several "discussions"!
At least now the house is tidied up inbetween our meager efforts.
State-side and happy,
CW
nag nag nag - now bring me another beer before you clean up would ya - actually i admit i hate to clean but I do my fair share of cooking and can clean when a gun is pressed against my forehead
I had a "stay-home" dad.
i see canuckleheads don't even merit a mention :P lol
Tsup*!* Wonder what happened to all those egalitarian couples who migrated to Australia?
iBeati, they will if you ASK . .simple souls they just don't see what needs to be done but are willing enough if asked.
Spiders! One squirt and a squish with a thong.
Kate I think that's the perfect marriage!
Haha . . well we tell it like it is Alan, no gilding the lily out here. Mind you the sample was just over 3,000 men in 12 countries, hardly typical! Our lads might not be good on the housework scale but we're among the hardest workers and the blokes do a mean barbie!
Haha . . Sarah I finally was able to comment on your post! I'm fortunate, my son mows the lawn and takes the garbage out!
Grannymar, mine wasn't much of a domestic type but he pulled his weight if asked. Damn our dead husbands, I could just kill 'em. As a result of young widowhood, I've become pretty resourceful. I can drive the tractor but I prefer Adam to do it. Plus our bins are very heavy with all those chardy bottles!
Brian, I now have an image of you standing over a sink full of suds with little else on but an apron and your rubber gloves!
Ropi, your mother has taught you well. My son doesn't know what the washing machine is or does but he's not bad at outdoor chores.
Ooh . . never thought of that, does it get 22 year olds out of bed before 11 too?
Hmm Steph I guess they assumed that we're over it by then! And lucky you are, he sounds wonderful.
Nick you're prolly right, they will think they're getting away with murder but you know Aussie fellas . .they're a tough bunch.
Candie yeh, big stereotype. Much like Aussie men are considered to be bronze ANZACs or beer bellied.
Mel my brother is like that. My SIL does't know how lucky she's got it. She does bugger all, he works, cleans, shops, cooks . . she just does the washing and Sudoku.
Ah Chris you have it sorted! I used to have a cleaner . .I miss her.
Quicky, perhaps that explains the itchy feet, you don't have to clean when you're 'on the road'.
You did Megs? Well he's one out of the box for his generation and I hear he's quite the cook!
Well Wuffa, she prolly lumped you lot in with the Brits and Yanks. At least you get out of mowing lawns for six months of the year!
*Tsup*! Good question Bimbimbie . . One lives next door to me!
Yes you did send me a TY mail!
Aaah! See I lucked out on this because I married a Norwegian-English-German descent American and yes, he does help and do a lot aroung the house, for the kids and for me. He also helps out a lot of people and neighbors. However, I just read my SIL's letter to my MIL several years ago before I got married. In the letter she mentioned that Australians really know how to party! So in a way Australian men know how to entertain! It's not a total loss.
I mean "around".
let's see...I don't mind doin' the dishes..love to cook...clean the flat when it requires( well, not too often but still )...take out the rubbish...yard work( tho' I've no yard anymore )...just don't bug me when I'm deep into a book or my writngs, wot? Oh yeah, I'm a "naturalised" American( thanks parents o' mine! )
lol... i live in an apartment [flat to you] so never have to mow ;)
Well this study is wrong in my house!
Every weekday night my beloved hubby has the childrens homework done, reading, showering, pj's and dinner ready by the time I'm home from work in the evening - its fantastic! He also takes them to their respective sports - and no I dont earn more than him. And yes he is a "real man".
He's a likes a clean house (although I am pathetic at cleaning!) and so on occasion will also have the house tidy.
Am I the happiest wife in the world?
My daughter's husband is a gem in this regard. He's helped from day one with all aspects of family life.
Me? I just want a man who actually DOES what he says he will. Although I've discovered that I really do prefer living alone.
Did I just read that your son doesn't know what the washing machine is or does??
Shame on you! Instruct him immediately. His future wife will thank you.
OK Subster if you're that bloody good why aren't you married! Another eligible, get yer ass over here and you and Roy can fight over me! Or maybe I'll have you both on alternate days. You can cook and wash and he can do the laundry and teach me how to use my camera. There . .sorted!
Well Wuffa that's one way out of it. Bet you have to put the bins out on snowy nights tho! Shovel snow from the driveway . . .grrrr!
Babysis, you're spoiled rotten. You and Steph have it made! She's in there now still in her dressing gown at 3:11! Fwoaar . .I'm pulling black liquid amber leaves out of the friggin' duck sludge pool.
Hi River. I didn't realise you were a single too. Well it makes us resourceful alright. I mean Ads is great as sons go but he's not very domesticated. I'm often amazed how a boy born into a house of women can simply not see dirt or smell shit! Oh hang on. Clare's not crash hot either. At least Adam can cook! And no, I do both their laundry but they make up for it. He does the heavy maintenance, she pays me shitload of board now that she's earning more than I am. Don't worry, I whip them into shape. For example I had a holland blind that just kept falling down . .boyo had it fixed in a jiffy today. He's a dab hand with a drill. I'd have done it but there would have been swearing and probably blood. Also Clare's fixed my blog so that I can have bigger pics. You'd pay good money for that (Plus she bought last night's chick flicks and pizza). So washing is mother's work around here. Oh and his future wife? She's not quite the domestic godess . . .
Probably I wouldn't be able to use your washing machine either, because ours is from the Soviet era. If I really wanted I could use it but usually my mother does it.
I read that study and did think, "I wonder if Baino noticed it?" Truly!
I thought most Australian men genetically "are" British anyway... not that I'm sure what point I'm making with this...
lol... i do take the trash out, dishes, cooking and cleaning... but the parking lot is plowed of snow under contract ;)
trained my son to do the laundry, even iron his own stuff :O
Yep.
I see the Irish were lying *as usual* to keep themselves off the bottom of that list. My husband helps out a bit, washing the dishes occasionally or doing his own laundry (which frightens the washing machine and dryer no end, considering what he leaves in his pockets) but he's such a slob and causes so much housework that I'd have less to do without him.
Ah well. I guess there are other reasons to keep him! LOL I think Kate has the idea; separate houses. Excellent!
English and over 45 (since someone asked) here!
My Dad did very little around the house, although in those days it was probably more than most! He helped with the washing up after Sunday dinner, laid the fire on Sunday, and occasionally vacuumed on Sunday. The rest of the week - nothing. Both parents worked.
I'm lucky. OH does 50%, and we've taught our boys to do housework. I'm proud to say both of them cook extremely well too.
I used to think it depended on how a boy's Dad was, but ... my brothers both help/ed around the house more than average - one doing ALL the cooking through necessity. If he hadn't done it, the kids wouldn't have eaten. He's pretty damn good at it, too. Better than me.
Oh Suze! Well as long as he makes up for it somwhere else. Sorry I'm way behind blog catchups. . .I'll be over soon.
Jay, my Dad was the same. When he retired he had a really hard time because he saw the house as 'mum's' domain. He wasn't sexist or a bad husband just a product of his generation. He learned . . who says you can't teach old dogs new tricks?
I think if I get married one of the conditions will be that he has to do chores.
this is another time on your blog where the comments are just as interesting as your post.
my relationship--two women--started with no defined roles. we've just carved out doing what we care about most and/or do most easily.
i also think 'the eye of the beholder' may have some influence here.
xoxo
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