‘House chores are for women’ - Why this 1971 gender debate is still relevant today

A video showing students of Accra High School debating women's careers, marriage and domestic responsibilities in 1971 has resurfaced online, sparking renewed interest in conversations about gender roles and expectations within Ghanaian households.

The footage captures a discussion between male and female students, with the girls expressing their desire to pursue professional careers while maintaining their responsibilities at home after marriage.

In a video shared on TikTok and sighted by GhanaWeb on October 30, 2026, one of the male students argued that certain household chores were meant for women, suggesting that he would prefer a wife who stayed at home.

“I don't like to, even my dress, I don't like to wash it. And how can I do these manual things which are meant for a woman?” he stated.

However, his position was challenged by some of the female students, who maintained that women should be allowed to pursue their ambitions and that household responsibilities should be shared between couples.

One female student, who expressed her ambition to become a medical doctor, said she intended to continue working even after getting married.

Another student, who wanted to become an air hostess, also said she believed she could successfully combine her career with domestic responsibilities.

“I think I can cope with the housework and work at the same time,” she said.

The discussion became more heated when another female student, who wanted to become a dentist, was asked whether she thought her future husband would object to her working after marriage.

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She responded that although some Ghanaian men might not want their wives to work, she hoped to marry someone who would support her career ambitions.

One of the students also argued that the economic realities of the time made it difficult for a household to depend solely on the man's income.

“I think he's wrong in saying that because now in Ghana, it's very difficult to get money from just the man. And the woman helping would also benefit both of them,” she indicated.

She further suggested that couples should share domestic responsibilities, with men helping with activities such as washing up while women handled cooking.

Another female student insisted that household chores should not be regarded as the exclusive responsibility of women.

“This is not meant for women. Both of us can do it together,” she argued.

Interestingly, when asked how they intended to persuade men who held traditional views about women's domestic responsibilities, one of the girls suggested that men would eventually have to adjust their expectations.

“Because if all women are going to have this kind of mind, if the men refuse to have any woman who's got that mind, then the men are surely not going to marry,” she said.

The resurfaced footage has drawn attention to how conversations about women's employment, marriage and the sharing of household responsibilities have existed in Ghana for decades.

More than five decades later, the questions raised by the students remain relevant as discussions continue over gender equality, financial responsibilities in marriage and the expectations placed on working women and their partners.

Watch the video below

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