What do men imagine when they hear the word “housewife?”

38 comments

1. I have a housewife and it’s awesome.

2. A wife. That mostly stays in the house.

3. I imagine another dependent. I do not want a housewife, I want a wife that can support herself if something were to happen to me. I want a partner. I do not want someone who relies on me for the entirety of their wellbeing.

4. I Dream of Jeannie

5. I cohabitated with a girlfriend once and between jobs she was that, a housewife. For a solid two months I didn’t do laundry, clean, shop, or cook. That part was kinda awesome.

   Ultimately she found a job and things went back to normal but I failed to empathize with her day to day boredom and it created some friction that I could have avoided had I been more mature.

6. Well, if I *had* to imagine myself in that sort of marriage, my housewife would take care of the home, kids, etc while I focus on working.

   But then again, I’ve really never been into the idea of being married to a housewife. I’m more into the whole DINK life, and my “type” is ambitious, driven women who would rather stick their hand into a running blender than trade their careers for the housewife life.

   Not that the whole housewife dynamic is bad or anything. It’s just not my speed.

7. A happy me and a thriving society. Most stuff around the house being taken care of, cooking mostly from scratch, etc. I pay all the bills and do the heavy lifting as needed, as well as join in on two person jobs. Housewives that actually do housewife things, and not just use it as an excuse to drink and sit on the couch, are one of the most important roles in society, imo.

8. extra responsibility without additional freedom

9. Nothing in particular, do whatever you want.

10. A wife.

11. Someone who stays home, cleans the house, and has all of my meals prepared. She is also super supportive of my work and is happy that I provide.

    That’s what it means to me, but the year is 2023, and being a housewife isn’t as popular as it was. With divorce rates how they are people need to be independent and have something going for themselves.

    I prefer independent women who don’t rely on me, and we share the household chores 50/50.

12. My wife, through family circumstances not choice, became a housewife. She works WAY harder than me in my professional career that just pays for stuff.

    I love her so much and she is an absolute legend that makes life worth living. ❤️

13. I never think of that word, unless I see a Republican discussing how he expects his 2020’s marriage to be like Leave it to Beaver.

14. Some kind of Stepford wife from the ’50s or whenever. Housewife just feels like such an outdated term, and it implies the husband doesn’t do any work around the house.

15. Housewife/tradwife are used in a pretty negative way lately. But I grew up in a big family where my dad worked the same job for 40 years and was home in the evenings and weekends and was positively invested in our lives. My mom was a “housewife” and homeschooled most of us through at least 6th grade before we went to public school and all of us have at least bachelor’s degrees and work decent jobs. She had home cooked meals on the table every day and our big country house was always pretty neat and clean. I feel like she was hard working, disciplined, committed and caring; to wear all those hats (cook, maid, chauffeur, nurse, caregiver) is a huge task. Once my youngest brother graduated high school and left for college, my mom renewed her nursing license and went back to work part time in healthcare. She’s always been very busy but she’s always felt like she was doing what she was born to do. I think it’s a calling some women have (two of my brothers are married to women who just love being at home to care for their kids and have a lot of plates to spin but appear to be very fulfilled). I feel like it’s a role that can be resented, or a challenge to be embraced. Two-income homes are almost a necessity these days so I get it’s not for everyone.

16. The Chronic 2001 by Dr. Dre.

17. No job, and cares for our children instead of a daycare. Now a days becoming more affordable. Even for the middle to middle upper class.

18. A wife that stays at home. Makes sure the house is taken care of so that her husband has a happy and comfortable home where he loves to return to. And that the wife will be his place where he feels at peace.

19. I assume she’s hot. But then again whenever it’s not explicitly stated I always picture an attractive person. Who walks around imagining ugly people?

20. I imagine a 1950s woman coasting on a nice combo of Benzedrine (uppers) and Barbiturates (downers), placidly dusting the walls and putting eggs in jello. Unbothered. No bank account. Smiling at nothing.

    Honestly if I found the right partner I’d love to be the housewife(husband)

21. A wife who stays home and generally takes care of the household chores while the husband (or other wife?) works to provide the income for the family.

    Same as a househusband.

    Oppressive to some but an effective division of labor to others.

22. A loving, loyal and devout partner who’s invested in helping her family and holding the family down.

23. A wife whose primary responsibility is taking care of the house and those living in it. Not entirely on her own but if her partner is working 8hrs a day outside of the home, she can work 8hrs a day on household needs. Errands, paying bills, planning calendar etc.

24. I would imagine she handles Mainly both the cooking and meal planning, as well as cleaning.

    That’s just about it.

25. I remember back when I was a kid watching my mom cleaning the house and just making the entire house function.

26. A house wearing a lovely dress

27. That’s one hell of a career path, my MIL is a housewife and she’s done all the supporting my FIL needed to grow his career into a high six figure salary from high school dropout to one of the best in his field of work.
    That’s true devotion right there.
    Mad respect to housewives.

28. someone tidy, takes care for me and kids

29. She cooks, cleans, primary caretaker of the children, does the shopping.

    I have the job. Maybe do the yardwork and grilling.

30. I have made it. I have exceeded my wildest dreams. I have defied the limitations of my generation, and I have provided enough for my wife to feel comfortable staying home.

    Now all I need is to carefully maintain the slow, steady burn of abject panic for the next 45 years.

31. A robot as a woman cleaning and preparing dinner for the husband

32. It’s not very specific, but a woman who stays home with the kids and keeps the household because it’s cheaper than working and hiring childcare.

    There are some housewife cliches that come to mind like watching soap operas, but those cliches are obviously cliches and not reality.

33. a wife that stays at home, cooking cleaning, shopping, caring for the kids,. Dad goes to work makes the money.

    I’m a single male and writing this I just realized why I never see guys at the grocery store shopping for food. And how women who approach me know I’m single, so I believe “house wife” plays out the same in everyones minds.

    I think it’s a favourable position seeing as how child care is expensive and so is food, cleaning.

    I would have no issue being a full time house dad if my wife made more money.

34. I think this is a woman who enjoys housework and childcare more than a career.

35. House wife unfortunately makes me think of the “real housewives of…” fill in the blank. My wife is a stay at home mom, but I have never referred to here as a house wife. Either way those shows have made the term seem shady for me. But I do believe every child should have a stay at home parent.

36. Stay at home spouse. Someone that maintains the house while I’m at work.

37. Fairly meaningless term, like dustbin man or Honourable Friend.

38. A wife that stays home most of the work days, maybe works part time. There isn’t much else to imagine