Gender Roles in Sri Lanka

Todd: So, Buddihini, today we're going to talk about roles and family: traditional roles or what people do. Now in Sri Lanka, is it common for usually the women to do all the cooking?

Buddhi: It was so. It was so, but still the mentality is such that they expect the daughters and the wives to do the kitchen stuff and the cleaning, the laundry and all that, but we do have a lot of working mothers now and they are many single parents as well so the culture has been changing a little bit, but still the majority is that women should do the usual household stuff and the men do the work outside and get the money. If it's like the cityside, and if the wife is also working, obviously it's not expected that the wife ends up doing everything.

Todd: So, what happens? Do you split the duties or do you hire a servant?

Buddhi: Yes, hiring some helper is quite common in Sri Lanka. I personally don't agree with that.

Todd: Oh, really, you don't want to have like a cook or a maid or anything like that?

Buddhi: It'll be nice to have but I wouldn't want to have. I want to do my things on my own. I think it's easier to do things on your own, and I'd make sure when I get married that I have the correct partner who'd want to help me out with things and having kids and all that. I wouldn't want somebody else to come and help us out.

Todd: So, when you get married, you'd like to split the duties with your husband?

Buddhi: Of course.

Todd: So, you expect your husband to cook and clean?

Buddhi: At least help me out and make sure that he knows what I'm doing. He values what I do cause I'm definitely not the kind who'll stay at home and do only the household stuff. I'll definitely go out and get the money as well.

Todd: So, you want to be the bread winner?

Buddhi: I wouldn't say that. We will share. I mean, why he suffer alone, and why I suffer alone at home. We suffer together.

Todd: Now is this a common viewpoint with most young women from your country?

Buddhi: Yeah, I'd say so. I'd say so, but there are many people who don't like to go out and be a working mom. They'd rather prefer staying at home and you know, waiting for their husband to come home in the evening or stuff like that, but I'm definitely not that kind.