A study conducted by Daniel Crlson, assisstant professor of sociology, and his colleagues show sex lives don’t diminish because of shared housework between couples, according to a Georgia State release.
The results of the study show egalitarian couples, those who believe in equality for all people, have the same if not better sexual satisfaction than conventional couples who do gender-based housework, according to the release.
Carlson said sex is better within egalitarian relationships because the couples are happier with the way they arrange their lives with respect to who is doing what.
When couples are satisfied with their relationship they tend to display more love and affection for one another and a primary way to show it is through sex, according to Carlson.
“Sex is obviously central to being in a couple. Everyone wants a great sex life. Couples seem to be happier and closer to one another when they share housework. Our findings indicate that this translates into higher quality sex,” he said.
This new study is a re-examination of an older study done in the 1980s and 1990s, which showed sex lives between couples who shared housework did diminish, according to the release.
However the study is no longer accurate to today’s society, according to Carlson in the release.
“Back then, being an egalitarian couple–sharing the paid and unpaid labor–was especially difficult as there were no models to follow. Today young adults have their parents’ generation to look to for examples,” he said.
Shanitrice Davis, psychology major at Georgia State, said she is in favor of the egalitarian lifestyle.
“If both couples are working, then the housework should be shared. If they have sex as a team, then the housework should be done as a team. Sex will probably be better because they feel like lovers and partners.” she said.
Femi Akinye, business major at Georgia State, said he would rather do things gender-separated when it comes to housework.
“I like the idea of the man being the provider, and the woman completing the house duties daily because it just seems right, ” Akinye said. “If the woman I marry decides to work, I would still pay all of the bills and she would still do all of the housework duties…”
Carlson said neither of the lifestyles are detrimental in the release. He also said Americans are more open-minded to egalitarian relationships now than in the ’80s and ’90s.
“Most young adults today are firm believers in gender equality. This study shows that there are benefits to making that a reality,” he said.
Carlson will attend the annual American Sociological Association meeting this month to present his research, according to the release.
