Are most men henpecked now?

Try speaking with the ladies from the elder generation in your family, who are in their sixties.

Hear them speak about how they were taught to be obedient to their husbands, taking care of their daily routines.

You will be surprised to know that the gents have been living a royal life, not in terms of money or other luxuries but how their wives gave them utmost comfort.

The day would start with toothpaste ready on the brush, the towel correctly hanging in the bathroom, and clothes neatly ironed to wear.

Imagine this early-morning scene in a typical household, 2 generations ago. The wife comes with a tumbler and a tabara (a cup and small vessel), and she offers half a cup of coffee to the husband with utmost humbleness.

1. Is the coffee hot enough? 2) Is the sugar okay?, and 3) Is the milk sufficient? And then she gives the other half cup of coffee to him.

Every day she has to confirm the quality of the coffee in the same way. She has to stand there till he finishes the coffee and has to collect the empty cup and leave.

If coffee needs this kind of hospitality, then think about other matters!

Now, let us come to today’s modern household.

The husband prepares coffee for both himself and his wife. Both clean the used dishes. Both share the laundry work.

The wife doesn’t wait for the husband to finish his lunch/dinner, so she can start eating. She has equal rights to decide on investments, house interiors, etc.

Do these changes happen overnight? 

Let us thank those men who realized the pressure women, in general, had to live through, came forward to take up responsibilities in the household work, and gave importance to the views and wants of their wives.

Maybe this shift happened because of the changing needs of modern familial setup, but thanks to those men who took the first few steps.

As a result, women on their part started stepping in, to earn money and support the family lifestyle. This slowly gave them the confidence to raise their voice against any unfair treatment.

We must also appreciate those sensitive and understanding gentlemen, who despite being chided, mocked, and often branded henpecked for their involvement in household chores, stood up for their women and paved the path for today’s understanding generation of men.

Whether homemakers or working women, nowadays women are blessed to ask for a cup of coffee from their living room couch, are they not?

Seethaalakshmi S is a voracious reader, holding an MBA degree in Marketing, has worked at mid-senior management level in various domains, has written recipes and write-ups for websites, and is a blogger