Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

It was once believed that a woman's place is in the home but as Jamaican women climb up the social ladder, many are staying far way from the kitchen.

"Women are no longer in the old-aged thinking of just being fit for kitchen purpose," says 29-year-old Rishka Budram, a sales representative.

Budram notes that some women have moved up the corporate ladder and occupy leading positions in the boardroom. As such, she says they no longer have the time to be stuck in the kitchen to carry out tasks, which were once believed to be the sole domain of their sex.

CHORES SHOULD BE SHARED

She argues that household chores should be shared between partners.

"Gone are the days when a woman goes to work, returns home and cooks up a storm in the kitchen, cleans the house and carries all the household burden," Budram explains. "We still acknowledge that as women we have roles, but it is unfair for a man to believe that our place is in the kitchen."

John Marshall, who is currently unemployed, says his partner rarely does household chores.

"She leaves all the work for me to do because she thinks she is independent," he says.

Despite his partner being the breadwinner, Marshall believes it's not fair for him to bear the brunt of the housework.

"I grew up seeing my mother doing all the household chores, so this just does not seem right for me," he relates.

Meanwhile, Karen Christie is proud of her spouse, who she says shares the roles at home. Unlike some men, she says, he is highly domesticated and runs the home efficiently when she's out.

"We are both professional people and when I work, he cooks and vice versa," Christie says.

She notes that her partner prefers to do the washing, as he believes he is better at that chore.

"I am sorry, but I am not going home to cook after a long day of work," says Sanya Shaw, 27. She says her spouse, who also works, is not understanding.

She adds: "I tell him that if he wants dinner every evening, he has to cook it himself. I am not worried if he goes out and finds someone else just because I refuse to cook every evening."

Names changed upon request

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