What is the primary challenge in the division of household labor? Household labor is usually unpaid if it is done by someone in the family. Unpaid translates to frequently undervalued.

But as anyone who lives in a household knows, if no one did the laundry, dishes, and food preparation, there would be a lot of dirty smelly hungry people. So this is, in fact, very valuable work, it’s just not usually paid and usually not split equally.

I’ve noticed division of household labor is a particular problem for couples when they don’t share money because most often one person does most of the washing, cleaning, and cooking, but doesn’t receive any financial benefit from this, and still has to split all bills. It’s pretty messy stuff.

Spain has decided to legislate a 50% division of labor in households. In Housework Looms for Spanish Men, you can read more about changing cultural traditions:

Puffing and panting and swearing under his breath, 36-year-old Santi Risco tries to put up an ironing board. He doesn’t have much success and it’s a pretty painful sight watching a previously undomesticated Spanish male trying hard to change with the times.

“Spanish law is changing so men have to do 50% of the housework,” Santi tells me, rather red-faced. “I am getting married this autumn so I am learning things I’ve never done before: ironing, cleaning floors and doing the washing up.

“It’s not that I’m a macho man. It’s just that I’ve never been taught these things before.”

I don’t really feel sorry for Santi.

Thanks to feministing.com for the link.