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Abstract

Although at a slow rate, the gender roles of women are changing in India. Today, Indian women are assuming responsibilities far beyond those of a traditional household. However, the question arises: are the gender roles of men changing? Is Indian society open to the idea of a stay-at-home husband? To address these concerns, we conducted interviews with unmarried women and men, followed by a thematic analysis. Ninety-seven percent of male respondents expressed reluctance towards becoming a stay-at-home husband, while 86% of female respondents indicated a hesitancy to marry someone with that inclination. Major reasons cited by males included “gender role conditioning,” “embarrassment,” and “power imbalance in the relationship.” Female respondents cited those three reasons as well, but also added “financial burden on one partner” and “natural liking towards ambitious men” as the primary reasons for not wanting to marry a stay-at-home husband. The article concludes with suggestions for action items that Indian schools, media, and government can take to attempt to change gender roles and attitudes toward stay-at-home-husbands.

Author Biography

Rasabattula Srinivas, a Ph.D. student at Delhi University's Faculty of Management Studies, in India, specializes in workplace happiness, female workforce participation, and gender equality. His research aims to unravel complexities and contribute to a more inclusive work environment.

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