Cooking Enthusiasm Sparks Discussion On Gender Roles Among Roommates

"She said as woman if you can't cook for your family there is nothing left to your womanhood."

Damjan

• Published in Interesting
• December 2, 2023

In a world where traditional roles and expectations still shape many aspects of our lives, the clash between individuality and cultural norms is a common predicament. This tension becomes especially palpable when it comes to the role of women in society.

Across various cultures, women often face immense pressure to conform to certain ideals, such as being perfect homemakers or caregivers. This societal expectation can lead to conflict, especially when individual interests or beliefs don't align with traditional views.

This brings us to a story shared by a Reddit user, rooted deeply in India's cultural landscape. OP, an Indian woman, finds herself at odds with her roommate over the traditional role of women in their culture, specifically regarding cooking. OP has a passion for cooking, but strictly as a personal hobby.

She finds joy and peace in cooking for herself, but the thought of others critiquing her culinary efforts distresses her. This preference led to a candid conversation with her roommate about their cooking abilities and aspirations.

Her roommate, however, held a staunch view that cooking is an essential skill for a woman, intrinsically linked to her worth and role in the family. According to her, a woman's inability to cook for her family diminishes her womanhood.

This perspective, as the OP learned, stems from her roommate's caste-based belief that women can delegate all other household chores but must personally handle cooking. Taken aback by such a rigid stance, the OP impulsively labeled her roommate a misogynist and wondered if her reaction was justified.

OP is an Indian woman; her hobby is cooking, and she prefers cooking only for herself because criticism from others makes her sad.

It came a disagreement between OP and her roommate about traditional gender roles in cooking, and OP called her misogynistic.

Calling out misogyny is justified, even if it stems from cultural differences.

Defining womanhood based on skills is wrong.

OP is right to call out her roommate.

Cooking for others is not necessary.

It's important to call out and address internalized misogyny, even if it's rooted in cultural norms.

OP's roommate's behavior is misogynistic.

She was rude to OP and judged her unfairly for not conforming to a sexist standard.

OP was correct in calling out her misogynistic viewpoint.

It's a good idea for OP to work on her discomfort with cooking for others, as it can lead to personal growth and improvement through feedback.

Cooking should not be gender-specific.

It's fair to say that the OP is right, and her roommate's view is unfair. Cooking has nothing to do with whether you're a man or a woman.

Thinking that certain tasks are only for one gender is not right. Cooking is just a skill, like any other, and anyone can enjoy it or be good at it, regardless of gender.

It's important to treat everyone equally and not judge them based on stereotypes. Supporting the OP's idea that cooking is a personal hobby and not tied to being a woman is a step toward fairness and getting rid of unfair beliefs.

Damjan