Equal Partners

April 25, 2022
Gender consultant Mangino debuts with a thoughtful treatise on how to achieve parity in the division of household labor. Troubled by research findings that women in different-sex relationships contribute more to physical and emotional work around the home than their partners, Mangino provides “ideas, stories, interviews, and suggestions about what you can do to address household gender inequality with your partner.” She studies 40 men who match their partners’ contributions at home, noting that all are strong communicators, prioritize family time, and aren’t afraid of vulnerability. Mangino proffers advice on how to build an equal partnership while dating, suggesting, for example, that “‘the gender talk’... should be an ongoing dialogue” and that those in the “Female Role” (which, she notes, can be occupied by someone of any gender) should make sure their partner supports their career. Mangino’s sharp insights into contemporary gender dynamics persuasively argue that there remains much to be done to achieve equality between partners (she reports, for instance, on research that found “working mothers today spend as many hours taking care of their children as stay-at-home mothers did in the 1970s”). The result is a vital manual for understanding how gender norms shape domestic life and how readers can change the script.

May 1, 2022

Gender expert Mangino provides an informative examination of gender inequality in American households, plus practical solutions. Her focus is on gender norms and the social aspects of inequality rather than on structural policy issues that contribute to the problem. The book is divided into three sections, with the first two detailing background information on gender inequality and profiling 40 men who act as equal partners in their households. In the third section of the book, Mangino uses a questioning, interactive approach to ask readers to create an action plan for change that applies the lessons learned through the book's statistics, talking points, guided lists, scenarios, stories, and interviews. The book includes examples from a variety of household types and includes discussion of the effects of race, sexual orientation, and having children on gender inequality. Mangino also addresses the importance of family and community support. Her research is apparent through the many references throughout the text as well as in the supplemental additional resources list and chapter notes. The book includes a gender glossary and index. VERDICT An important purchase that will provide a variety of readers with an informative and actionable understanding of gender inequality in the United States today.--Theresa Muraski

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Starred review from May 15, 2022
Mangino, gender expert and professional facilitator, has written an inspiring and inclusive guide for rethinking and reworking household gender roles. The majority of American families are neotraditional, with both parents working but with the woman doing most of the household labor. This limits society, she explains, by harming women psychologically, preventing men from making emotional connections, and losing economic gains for families. Using interviews from forty couples who are participating in equal partnerships, Mangino offers a light at the end of the tunnel. The experiences of these couples show families that are challenging gender norms. Mangino addresses topics beyond dividing tasks at home: how to date with the express goal of picking a partner who will champion gender equality; parenting practices to counter gender tropes. Mangino's dedication to inclusivity is a path forward for writers, as she points out where inequality intersects with gender, emphasizing the added burden of structural racism for parents of color. She also talks about appropriate pronouns, includes same-sex partnerships in her interviews, and uses the terms "Female Role" and "Male Role" to better include all gender identities. An enlightening read that offers tangible methods for families and community members interested in dismantling the gender binary.

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