More Womenโ Earning Equal Pay to Husbands, Yet โขHousehold Labor Gap Persists
Washington, D.C. – โฃA newโข Pew Research Centre study reveals โa growing number of women are now earning as much โas โคtheir husbands, marking a notable shift in traditionalโ economic roles. Though,โ despite gains in the workplace, women continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of household responsibilities, โคhighlighting a persistent imbalance in domestic labor.
The study, released today, indicates โขthat while disparities remain, aโ segment of women – specifically, Black women with a college degree or higher and few children at home – are amongโฃ those most likely to earn roughlyโข the same asโ their spouses. This trend arrives amid evolving societal expectations regarding earnings and caregiving within marriage,revealing a complex interplay between financial equality and traditional gender roles. โฃThe findings underscore a continuing โฃtension between women’s increasing economic power and the โคenduring โคexpectation that they will primarily manage the โขhome.
according โto Pew’s January survey of 5,152 U.S. adults, nearly half of Americans (48%) believe husbandsโ generally prefer to earn more than their wives, while only โค13% think men would โprefer their wives to earn the same amount. Simultaneously,perceptions ofโค women’s preferences reveal that 22% of Americans believe most women want a husband who earns more,compared to 26%โค who believe women desire a partner earning a comparable income.
The study also examined attitudes toward childcare and household duties. A significant majority -โค 77% – of respondents stated โthat children benefit when both parentsโข equally โprioritize work and childcare, while only 19% believe children thrive when mothers focus more on home life and fathers on their careers.
Pew’s analysis โdraws โคfrom three data sources: earnings data from the U.S. Census’ Currentโค Populationโ Survey, data from โคthe American Time Use Survey, and the aforementioned nationally โrepresentativeโข survey of public attitudes. The research provides a snapshot of a nation grappling with evolving gender dynamics and the ongoing pursuitโ of equitable partnerships both insideโข and outside the home.
