Gender Inequality and Satisfaction with Marriage
This week's posts are being sourced by the Life Course Centre (@lifecourseAust) to continue the conversation on social and economic disadvantage as part of Anti-Poverty Week 2025 (@AntiPovertyWeek). Gender inequality extends beyond income and employment into the structures of everyday life. Unequal relationships and domestic expectations can limit women’s autonomy, financial independence and heighten their vulnerability to poor wellbeing and mental health. PhD student Alysha Gray from The University of Queensland and the Life Course Centre explains.
Marriage is often depicted as a source of happiness, stability and security, but Australian data suggests that for some women it may come with a price – their satisfaction. Data from the long-running Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey shows that women consistently report lower relationship satisfaction than their male counterparts and are more likely to initiate legal separations and divorces.
What the Numbers Say
Analysing how relationship satisfaction varies by gender using the HILDA data points to significant gendered patterns. The differences may seem modest; however, they are statistically significant and, in a sample as large as HILDA, even subtle effects can show clear and consistent social patterns deserving of consideration.
HILDA asks respondents to consider the question: ‘How satisfied are you with your partner?’. While both, married men and women report relatively high relationship satisfaction, women report slightly lower relationship satisfaction scores than men. This means, married women are less content in their relationships than married men.
Why Women are Less Satisfied
A few factors stand out as possible explanations of this satisfaction gap; the domestic labour gap, the invisible mental burden women carry, and rigid expectations of gendered roles within marriage.
The Domestic Labour Gap
Despite decades of progress on gender equality, especially within the paid labour market, domestic labour remains deeply unequal in Australia. Many studies find that women contribute far more housework than men, and certainly above a 50% share. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Time Use data reveal that women are doing almost 14 hours more domestic work per week compared to men.
Married women, especially mothers, often undertake the bulk of cooking, cleaning, childcare and home organisation responsibilities. This ‘Second Shift,’ of invisible unpaid labour leaves little time for rest, self-care or leisure – all of which we can assume positively impacts. Many women also report responsibility for managing the organisation and planning of activities and schedules within households, creating an additional mental burden that adds to their unpaid work toll. The effects of this kind of stress are difficult to quantify but can directly erode happiness and satisfaction.
Rigid expectations within marriage
Gender relations have changed significantly over time, and partnerships seem more egalitarian than ever. However, marriage remains an institution with clearly defined gendered scripts. Many women may still feel ‘boxed in’ by social expectations – to be the organiser, homemaker, and carer of their families. A 2017 study found that nearly half of Australian men believe that mother should stay home when their children are young. These beliefs undoubtedly influence the experiences of women in married life and their levels of satisfaction.
Rethinking What a ‘Successful’ Marriage Means
This isn’t a call to abandon partnerships or marriage. Clearly, many married men and women find their relationships satisfying. It is uncontested that marital partnerships offer real personal, social and economic benefits to both women and men. However, if we continue to ignore the inequality that exists within marriage, we negate our opportunity to make it better. Marriage alone doesn’t guarantee satisfaction – what matters more is emotional support, respect and shared responsibility within the partnership. This isn’t about whether people should marry, but whether their relationships are equitable and fulfilling.
Alysha Gray is a PhD student funded by an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellowship (FL230100104) Bringing Equality Home led by Professor Janeen Baxter. She also receives in-kind support from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (CE200100025).
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