Researchers from the Swinburne University of Technology found that women feel more desirable in relationships where household chores are shared equally. The study published in the Journal of Sex Studies explored how equality in domestic duties relates to sexual attraction and relationship satisfaction among Australian women.
Even when a woman is employed outside the home, she often shoulders a larger share of household and childcare responsibilities than her male partners. The burden carried by women intensified during lockdown periods when families spent more time together at home. The study surveyed 299 Australian women aged 18 to 39, examining connections between contributions to household chores, perceived free time for both partners, mental stress, and financial decision making within relationships.
Contemporary sexology describes female libido as comprising two components: a binary element, which reflects sexual desire directed toward another person, and an individual, self-contained aspect that can operate independently of a partner’s feelings. This dual view of desire is intertwined with relationship dynamics, while the lone, self-focused aspect remains more stable and self-relational.
The researchers categorized participants into three groups based on how they viewed equality in household labor: equal, less than, or more than their male partners. Those who perceived their relationships as having equal contributions reported higher overall relationship satisfaction and greater desire within the couple than the other groups. Additional factors such as how long the relationship has lasted and whether children are involved also appeared to influence women’s libido. Findings suggest that longer relationships may suffer from increasingly unequal distributions of domestic responsibilities, which in turn can affect sexual desire.
Similar patterns emerged among same-sex couples, though the link between equality and libido tended to be stronger in heterosexual relationships. Equality in relationship duties did not significantly change women’s individual sexual desire, but did correlate with a more harmonious couple-level dynamic. The researchers concluded that reduced libido among women is not an intrinsic clinical issue solvable by meditation or pelvic exercises alone, but rather a signal that both partners need to invest effort into balancing household loads and supporting each other’s well-being. These results underscore the importance of equitable sharing of chores for sustaining intimacy and satisfaction in modern partnerships.
— Source: Swinburne University of Technology. The study highlights that addressing unequal division of domestic labor may be a key step in improving relational intimacy and overall well-being for women across diverse relationship structures.