I am not being sexist but, this is something I have always wondered about.. Why do men in our society (at present times) have it so easy? Why are they always pampered and cosseted by every female in the household as if they are imbeciles or something? It is as if the male population might just evaporate into thin air if they have to lift one of their precious fingers to do a “domestic” chore @ home.

I’ve seen this happen to many Maldivian men and I am sure most of those who have been abroad for longer periods of time, mostly for higher studies have experienced or seen the same thing. Since the male *population* have been petted, pampered and every need of theirs seen to by the female *population* of the household, and for the first time in their lives, they have to take care of themselves, and it tends to *domesticate* most of these men even though it might be for a year or three (that is for those who havent been lucky enough to get married to an unassuming gal and dump all those chores into her lap).

Most of the time you tend to see a change for the good in men’s attitude whilst they live in foreign countries. No longer is chopping vegetables to cook a meal considered as a chore that might cause the guy to shed one or two layers of his masculinity *eyes roll*. And hanging up a few clothes to dry after a laundry session doesnt trigger the magical transformation from a guy to girl. Those who are married and whose wives are also on their studies, tend to help out the wife in doing the domestic chores like cooking, cleaning up etc. Its as if they do *realise* that the women folk are also human beings rather than slaves who are there to do their bidding at the drop of a hat.

However disappointingly, upon completion of their studies and once their feet hit the Maldivian soil, the dramatic transformation from the *domestic* male figure to the *pompous* arse comes upon them swiftly. God forbid that they enter the kitchen for a purpose other than to eat or drink a glass of water. It might just get them labelled as “anbi dhashuvefa” or & please, please do not let their mother see them helping out their wife. The wife becomes completely unsuitable for her Almighty son and the *I knew she wouldnt be able to take care of him the way he should be* conversations take place behind the wife’s back within the household “Oh-puhleeze!!”.

Even though there are a handful of Maldivian men who are secure enough in their masculinity not to be bothered about such trivialities, the majority of the male population tends to relax, lay back and let the ladies of their lives do all the domestic work. Cos us Maldivians deem that its the right way of things, that its how they should be. Cos we have been brought up that way and God forbid that any change be brought to the way we live our life!