Court ruling puts value on house work

After decades of women’s rights advocacy and slow but steady social change, women have legitimized their right to work outside the home. But for those who still choose to forgo a career to manage the household, the battle for recognition of their often-belittled domestic work has been ongoing.

For Claudia McIntyre, a mother of two who suffers chronic pain after a car crash, that battle finagled its way into the courtroom, inadvertently prompting a landmark decision recently, which says housework is so important that it may actually be integral to a woman’s identity.

The groundbreaking Ontario Court of Appeal decision may point to a more widespread cultural shift, one that increasingly values housework and understands that such seemingly menial tasks as vacuuming and dusting are actually sources of pride and self-esteem.

Yet while some onlookers are ecstatic about a decision that recognizes the importance of maintaining a home, others argue the compensation is unjustifiable, glorifies everyday tasks and actually marks a step backward for women’s rights.

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