Whilst society is making progress with gender equality overall, Brits still cling onto old gender stereotypes when it comes to barbequing, with new research revealing that people are six times more likely to consider barbequing a “man’s job”. The research, conducted by Paddy Power Games, questioned Brits on their barbequing habits, finding 37% still believe outdoor grilling is the duty of men – rising to 47% amongst male respondents only.
Only 1% of men said the BBQ was a woman's domain (with 6% suggesting no women are able to grill well), whilst over one in ten (11%) women thought they should be head chef in the garden. Almost half of those surveyed (46%) say it’s the man in their own household who’s entirely responsible for cooking the meat, with 14% of women saying they can’t take charge of the BBQ as their partner just won’t let them.
The research also asked why people think barbecuing is a man’s job, with “sticking to tradition” being the main reason (43%). But almost one in five (19%) women admit they give men power over the BBQ so they don’t stick their nose into other related tasks that they’re “incapable of handling”, such as preparing the side dishes, or setting the table.
The Irish bookie also asked people to rate their own BBQing skills, and not a single man quizzed was critical of their own BBQ capabilities. Considering the full BBQ set-up, whilst men are largely responsible for the cooking in their own household, it’s the women that are in typically responsible for all other tasks, such as marinating the meat, setting the table and making other dishes for the meal.
A spokesperson for Paddy Power Games said: “At work, on TV and in the public sphere, gender equality is becoming more and more prevalent in Britain – but when it comes to Brits’ homes, old stereotypes still seem to lurk around.
“Whether it be old caveman urges to play with fire, or the need to feel like a manly man, British blokes still seem to think that flipping burgers is a task only they can handle, even though 6% of men admit their barbequing has ended in either food poisoning or a fire...”
