Even Breadwinning Wives Don’t Get Equality at Home

Americans are making major strides toward gender equality. Women have surpassed men in obtaining college degrees. Women have flocked to many formerly male-dominated occupations such as law and medicine. In 2018, a record number of women candidates were elected to Congress. And high-school seniors today are more likely than their counterparts 40 years ago to say they strongly believe that women should have the same opportunities as men to succeed in school and at work. But gender equality for women still lags in another realm: their own home.

That women should take on the bulk of domestic responsibilities is still a widespread belief. Married American mothers spend almost as much time on housework and child care than do married fathers. Although American mothers—including those with young