All couples certainly have their own dynamics (including annoying habits like not filling up the gas tank), and I was with you until you started talking about women complaining about housework. Yes, I complain about housework too, but that isn't what this story is about. Emotional labor is very different. It's about managing the complex needs of a family, not sweeping floors. In fact, taking on the brunt of a family's emotional labor is very similar to "a demanding job that requires leadership, has uncertain outcomes, and risk of failure." When someone takes the lead on scheduling, finding contractors, arranging pickups/drop-offs, finding childcare, and managing the needs of multiple other humans, how is that a hobby? How is it any different from managing a team at work? The main difference is that some of the humans you're managing are not yet capable of rational thought and thus, even more challenging. I co-founded a company that was acquired by National Geographic, where I worked as an Editorial Director before moving on to other senior management positions. I have female friends who are entrepreneurs, executive directors, doctors, lawyers, project managers, etc. We're all very familiar with roles that require leadership and carry the risk of failure. And we would all concur that effectively managing a family is just as, if not more challenging, with a risk of failure that is far more consequential than anything we face in the workplace (i.e. our children's lives/lifelong well-being). This is why we're asking for help! If you're still confused about what exactly I mean by emotional labor, I would highly recommend checking out my other story, "Now Hiring: Husbands Who Get It": https://medium.com/muddyum/now-hiring-husbands-who-get-it-immediate-openings-nationwide-dcedf2bff705