“The Weight of Our Household Rests on My Shoulders”: Inequity in Family Work

Abstract

This study explores gendered work imbalance, particularly pertaining to parenthood, and posits a social justice perspective with equity theory. Participants for this study were mothers who disclosed their lived experiences with family workload and inequity in an online, open-ended survey. Findings reinforce previous literature, indicating that there is an imbalance in equity between heterosexual romantic partners, and that mothers are overworked and undervalued, as the invisible work completed daily creates an imbalance in the relationship. This imbalance has a negative impact on the relationship and can have long-term consequences when no means of restoring equity is in sight.