According to India Time Use Survey 2019-20, “A young woman in paid work in rural India spent about 4 hours and 50 minutes on household chores. T.Urban heirs spent about 2 hours and 45 minutes on housework. In contrast, the employed young man spent only 40 minutes and he 30 minutes on domestic work in rural and urban areas respectively. ”
One Monday morning I woke up and chose Rebel. In addition, I decided to spend some leisure time. Two choices in one day? Wow, I felt like my world had changed against years of conditioning. When was the last time you let your hair down and put your feet up as a woman?
Today I’m thinking and writing about leisure politics.
Leisure is a feminist issue!
We can look at leisure as a feminist issue in many ways, one of which is acknowledging the gendered nature of leisure. Women often face barriers in accessing and participating in leisure activities.
The relationship between women and leisure is complex and influenced by gender dynamics. In today’s society, the role of women has expanded from caregiving to providing for the family. But time itself has a gender, and so does leisure. Historically, women have had limited access to leisure time and activities compared to men. Their responsibilities as caretakers and domestic workers took precedence. As a result, leisure activities were perceived as luxuries or frivolous pursuits inaccessible to women.
In addition, gender-based expectations and stereotypes have limited women’s leisure activities to activities such as shopping and crafts, while men were seen as better suited to physically demanding and adventurous jobs. rice field. A feminist perspective on leisure aims to challenge these gendered expectations and advocate a recognition of the value of women’s leisure time and activities.
‘do nothing’
In our modern sensible world, leisure or “me time” has become part of our vocabulary when addressing gender inequality in leisure. This is a relevant paradigm for conversations around gender inequality in the workplace. I focus on leisure as a gender issue from a female perspective, to avoid speaking for people who may differ from my own life experience.
In the process of democratizing leisure, another sense of time scarcity inevitably arises. Research on leisure in the context of gender is relatively new. As awareness of the importance of leisure grows, so does the fear of not having enough time to indulge in various activities known as ‘leisure’. Blame it on social media.
Leisure in a safe space
In public spaces, gender distinctions are often made in ways that reinforce societal norms and expectations regarding gender roles and behaviors. These gender-specific public spaces not only determine how individuals navigate and use these areas, but who feel welcome and safe within them. can.
It is therefore important to facilitate access to safe and inclusive leisure spaces. We must also challenge the stereotypes and social norms that limit women’s choices in leisure activities, advocating for policies and programs that support women’s leisure activities.
Feminist approaches to leisure also acknowledge the intersectional nature of gender, considering how it interacts with other social identities such as race, ethnicity, class and sexuality. These intersections can create further barriers to women’s participation in leisure. A feminist approach to leisure therefore seeks to address these multiple and intersecting forms of inequality with the aim of promoting greater equity and inclusion in all women’s leisure opportunities.
unequal distribution of leisure time
From my research and practical experience, women feel that the quality of their leisure time is low. Their roles are associated with ‘family time’, with less relaxed atmosphere and less interaction with children.
In fact, women carry a larger share of the overall workload (paid and unpaid) than men. Domestic work has not declined to compensate for women’s long hours in the paid labor market. The fact that women work more hours overall, whether paid or unpaid, explains in part why the quality of their free time is poorer. Women often reduce their leisure activities to meet the needs of home and work.
The role of gender norms is equally important. Women usually adjust their leisure time to suit the desires and preferences of others. We care about our partners and children based on a high sense of social obligation, or “ethics of care” (as Miller & Brown referred to).
Licause gender inequality in leisure
Reducing gender inequality in leisure requires a multifaceted approach. We need to address the social, cultural and structural factors that contribute to gender disparities in leisure and activities.
Quality over quantity:
Both the importance and accessibility of leisure time should be emphasized. Encourage women to participate in leisure activities that promote physical and mental health. Leisure time also provides opportunities for personal growth and self-expression. This in turn helps reduce gender inequality in leisure.
safe public spaces
Creating safe and inclusive public spaces free from harassment and discrimination is essential to promoting gender equality in leisure. This includes promoting gender-inclusive public restrooms, providing adequate lighting and security in public parks and recreational areas, and developing policies and programs to address gender-based violence and harassment in public places. will be Leisure used to be a state of excessive lack of vigilance for personal safety. The key to strengthening societies and institutions is to share these obligations and eliminate gender inequality in leisure.
About the author
Ayushi Mehta (She/Her) has been with Sayfty since 2021 and has also worked on Sayfty’s UN SDG Women Changemakers project. A cross-cutting feminist, Ayushi is passionate about gender equality and women’s empowerment.in her spare time she Ghazarian of Iqbal Bano.follow her girlfriend twitter
Image source: countryside india online (Cover photo: sumita hatl)
