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KARREN BRADY

It’s time to sweep the sexism out of housework – the gap is narrowing, but why did it take so long?

LADIES, take note – at last there is some good news!

New research predicts a role reversal when it comes to who does the household chores.

 Time for a change
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Time for a changeCredit: Getty Images

So in future, jobs such as cooking, vacuuming and cleaning will more often be done by men than women.

But now the bad news: It will take 50 years to happen.

Researchers compared how often different generations perform certain chores, and identified a trend line showing that, while women currently perform “traditional” roles most often, the gap is narrowing to the point where men and women will eventually switch.

Besides the obvious question — why will it take so flipping long? — it is hard not to wonder why, when more and more women work, we still have this perception of men and women’s domestic roles.

I mean, is there a physio-logical reason why men are incapable of using the hoover?

There are some encouraging things about the study. Men already do more ironing than women, which I take to mean that the women of the world are already point-blank refusing to iron men’s shirts.

Ironing is one of the most labour-intensive and under-appreciated tasks in the world.

I haven’t done it for 30 years. And I won’t be doing it for the next 30.

 Traditional gender roles are reversing ... finally
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Traditional gender roles are reversing ... finallyCredit: Getty Images

Part of the problem, perhaps, is that even though lots of women are working as well as juggling households, the world of work still values them less once they have had children. This is evidenced by a new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies that showed that the gap between hourly earnings of the two sexes becomes steadily wider after women become mothers.

In the 12 years following maternity leave, women’s hourly pay rate falls 33 per cent behind men’s.

That’s partly because women who choose to work part-time on their return lose out on subsequent wage progression, meaning that the hourly wages of men — and of women in full-time work — pull further and further ahead.

 Housework is the worst job on the planet
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Housework is the worst job on the planetCredit: Getty Images

Still, it all seems a bit archaic, doesn’t it? Housework, as anyone who does it already knows, is one of the worst jobs on the planet.

You have all the responsibility, all the drudge, with none of the glory, recognition, fun or thanks of most other jobs. But it is a necessary evil unless you want to live in a pig sty.

So what will cause this predicted change, and how can we speed things up a bit?

I was at Leeds University this week where 70 per cent of law students and 50 per cent of politics students are female.

I don’t think those women will be waiting 50 years before they stop vacuuming the stairs.

So maybe proper change will come when women start to say, “Hang on a mo, why the heck should I be doing ‘women’s work’ as well as bringing home half the bacon?”

Women’s independence is the greatest revolution of the past 50 years. Housework has to catch up.

If you can afford one, get a cleaner. If you can’t, divvy up the jobs and share them out equally.

And, whatever your income, tell your men to iron their own shirts because you won’t.

For the record, I’m proud to say that in my house there’s a more or less equal division of labour.

Although, without wishing to blow my own trumpet, I do have a special skill I haven’t mentioned yet — I’ve been blessed with the ability to direct other people to do things exactly the way I would do them myself, like driving from the back seat.

My husband is a lucky man, wouldn’t you say?

Greek goddess

AS regular readers will know, I’m a big advocate of self-love and body acceptance.

But I did allow myself a little sigh of envy looking at the photos of Emily Ratajkowski’s posterior.

 Bum goals, think she's swap?
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Bum goals, think she's swap?

There is really no disputing the fact that hers is what a great backside looks like. In fact, I’d go as far as to say that this must be the world’s most perfect bum.

Emily, I don’t know if you are reading this but if you are, please swap with me?

Double standards over Bolt's antics

“WORLD’S fastest female sprinter shows impressive stamina by bedding multiple men five nights in a row.”

Errr, said no newspaper headline ever. Take out “female” though and everything changes.

Anyone following Usain Bolt’s antics celebrating his 30th birthday after Rio will have noticed the media has been gripped by his seemingly Olympian performance in the sack as well as on the track.

His girlfriend is a minor detail in most of the coverage.

 Double standards at play
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Double standards at playCredit: Splash News

Who can blame Bolt, below? Why shouldn’t he celebrate in the company of several beautiful women? He’s only human.

But can you imagine what the coverage would be like if a female Olympic athlete decided to celebrate a milestone birthday with a five-day twerk-a-thon?

A lot has changed for women but this double-standard still needs work.

The 8-pack is the way forward

I HADN’T actually heard of John Krasinski (Emily Blunt’s husband, if you are wondering) when I saw pictures of his “eight-pack” and discovered how it improved his sex life.

 John Krasinski starring in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
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John Krasinski starring in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of BenghaziCredit: Rex Features

I’ve never actually heard of an “eight-pack” either, now I come to think of it. But I did enjoy looking at it! And all credit to him for owning one.

The hard work is not so much getting into shape, it’s maintaining it – but John’s doing a pretty fine job by the looks of things.

Kate's faux-pas

TWITTER was abuzz with comments about Kate Garraway presenting This Morning in a pyjama top.

My first thought was: “Such early starts doing breakfast telly, who can blame her?”

 Kate Garraway has been mocked by Good Morning Britain viewers for her pyjama style top
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Kate Garraway has been mocked by Good Morning Britain viewers for her pyjama style topCredit: ITV

But it turns out it’s just fashion, darling. These PJ shirts are all the rage, don’t you know.

Kate actually pulled it off – just! But the problem for me whenever I try to follow fashion is that I end up looking the opposite of what I want to be – i.e. just old-fashioned.

That’s why I steer well clear.

I HAD to laugh when I saw photos of Kim Kardashian playing tennis in the tiniest nude bikini I’ve ever seen.
I was trying to put my finger on what was weird about the photos when on closer inspection (by my husband with a microscope) I was reliably informed that she is not “playing” tennis – the grip is all wrong, apparently.

I guess when you live in a fake world you do play tennis in a thong, oiled up and barefoot.

But hey, our Kim has never let reality get in the way of a good photo op.

Let's face it, Nick's a romantic

I KNOW one or two people mentioned the word “stalker” in response to Nick Hopton.

He was the man who, having missed the chance to get the phone number from a dream girl named Freya he had met at a festival, fly-postered her town with photos of his face in a bid to reconnect with her.

 The appeals had only been up a few hours when Freya responded to Nick and the pair met for a date
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The appeals had only been up a few hours when Freya responded to Nick and the pair met for a dateCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

But I actually think it’s the height of romance. For a start, he used a picture of himself, not her, which was considerate.

All he did was give her the choice of whether or not to get in touch – and if she thought it was creepy, she had the option to ignore him.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, I say. I’m glad she picked up the phone.

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