Katy Perry might sing about it being a Woman's World but her latest comments suggest we're still far from it.
Speaking on the podcast Call Her Daddy, Katy, 39, candidly admitted, ‘If I come downstairs and the kitchen is clean and you’ve done all the dishes, and you’ve closed all the pantry doors, you better be ready to get your d*** sucked.
‘Literally, that is my love language, I don’t need a red Ferrari. I can buy a red Ferrari. Just do the f***ing dishes. I will suck your d*** – it’s that easy!’
However, as great as that set-up sounds for her husband Orlando Bloom, 47, it’s a shame that something so basic is considered such a big turn-on. That the Pirates of the Caribbean actor – who has been dating Katy since 2016 – chips in with household chores shouldn't even be comment-worthy.
In fact, why are we rewarding men for doing the housework at all? It should just be a given that they do it, just like it is for women – and we certainly don’t hear of women being rewarded for the same thing. Doing the washing up and closing cupboard doors is literally the bare minimum.
Indeed, according to a study by the European Institute for Gender Equality, 91% of women with children spend at least an hour per day on housework, compared with 30% of men with children.
And whilst the gap does also affect couples without families, it’s once a heterosexual couple welcomes a child – like Katy and Orlando did in August 2020 - that the differences become really noticeable.
As much as we’re striving to move away from assigned gender roles in relationships, it’s undeniable that women take on the brunt of the caregiving and associated labour.
Then there’s the phenomenon of ‘invisible labour’ – tasks that are largely undertaken by women, which happen in private and are unpaid, like organising the family calendar or making sure gym kits are washed ready for school. Those kind of tasks double overnight once you’ve had a kid.
Despite how far we've progressed in some areas, in many households there’s often still an expectation that the women will pick up the slack, even when they are working full-time. Working mothers were meant to feel empowered. Instead they're often just stretched even more thinly.
Whilst we’re glad that Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom’s sex life is thriving, maybe she should set the bar a little bit higher. Unless of course Orlando returns the favour every time Katy puts a load of washing on. In which case, well done Katy, well done.
Daisy Hall is a News and Entertainment writer on Grazia.