Women decide to rule the roost

Published on 01/03/2011 15:15

WOMEN have emerged triumphant in the battle of the sexes - at least on the domestic front. While in the past it was the swaggering patriarch who called the shots, new research has found that women now make three-quarters of all important household decisions.

Meanwhile, men's sphere of influence has been reduced to what car the couple will drive and what to watch on television.

According to the new report, women regularly decide what a couple eat, where they live, when they have children, where they go on holiday and how they spend their money. Women also have more of a say on day-to-day decisions, such as choosing how to spend spare time, when to go to bed and even the temperature of the family home.

The research was carried out by Ginsters, which has just launched a series of television adverts entitled "Man Plea". The company consulted 3,000 couples about where the balance of power lay in their relationships.

Yesterday, Larry File, a spokesman for Ginsters, said: "It seems men are no longer the domineering head of the household, and they know it. We were surprised by how honest and open men were about their lack of say in their day-to-day lives. But most men didn't seem to mind having to ask permission before doing things. The idea of a man heading up the house is clearly a thing of the past, with most couples agreeing that the woman is now the key decision-maker."

The report also found that six out of ten men admitted their partner had "complete control" over when and how frequently they have sex. Women also take responsibility for running the house, ensuring chores and housework are done and making decisions about the children.

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Men had no say in the choice of baby names either, and it is the female sex that decides what the children wear and where they go to school.

Two-thirds said they were "completely reliant" on their partner for decisions on when and what they eat. Half even said they regularly ask permission before eating certain foods or deciding on takeaway options. It also emerged men take no responsibility when it comes to their health, leaving their diet and choice of food up to their partner.

Women are said to use a "range of tricks" to persuade their partners to take their advice and get their own way, with flirting and wearing skimpy clothing the most usual sweeteners used.

Last night, Professor Alexander Gardner, a psychologist based in Glasgow, said that who made the decisions in a relationship was based on trust, love and how much emotional equity had been built up between the pair.

"Each relationship can be different.There will be many relationships where the wife stays at home or has a part-time job while the husband works full-time, and as a result the wife will make many of the decisions and the husband, when he gets home, is happy to go with what she has already decided.

"However, I do believe that important decisions that involve major expenditure will be made together."

He decides

THE average man says:

What car the couple own.

What they watch on TV.

Well, that's it, actually.

SHE DECIDES

THE average woman determines:

Bedtime for the whole family.

What to buy as gifts.

When the couple have children.

Where they go on holiday.

How the money is spent.

What is for dinner.

Whether the family has a pet.

What the children wear.

The children's names.

What temperature the heating is.

When housework is done.

When they have sex.

Where they live.

What they do at weekends.

Bedtime for the whole family.

What to buy as gifts.

When the couple have children.

Where they go on holiday.

How the money is spent.

What is for dinner.

Whether the family has a pet.

What the children wear.

The children's names.

What temperature the heating is.

When housework is done.

When they have sex.

Where they live.

What they do at weekends.