The Boy who Cooks and Cleans – Gender Equality is not so hard

Despite facing judgement from his peers, Rohit helps his mother and sister by doing the household chores, setting an example of gender equality in his patriarchal community.

When sixteen-year-old Rohit started helping his mother and sister with household chores, people used to make fun of him. "In the community, if someone tells me about this I give the correct reply: that I am a helping hand for my mother and sister," says this plucky young boy who believes it is his "duty" to help at home.

Rohit cooks, cleans, washes clothes and helps his two younger siblings with their studies. He feels that chores should be shared because girls and boys are equal. "This is an age-old tradition that boys work outside the home and girls take care of household chores," says Rohit who at such a young age, understands he is challenging gender roles and helping to restore gender equality in his community.

Rohit is an example of the fact that there is nothing natural or inevitable about gendered division of labour and proves that traditional roles assigned to women and men are not immutable. With his actions Rohit is dismantling patriarchy, challenging deep set notions about the household and a woman and man’s relation to it.

It’s time we follow his example and question ourselves to find how we are perpetuating and normalising patriarchal roles in our daily lives.

THIS SERIES DOCUMENTING EVERYDAY PATRIARCHY IS SUPPORTED BY UNFPA

Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories.

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