# Sex and Housework: are people really this stupid? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549 "2006-02-14T22:45:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/1 "2006-02-14T22:45:28Z")
From [this](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11348283/site/newsweek/) article. I am completely astounded by this article. From “And men are astounded by how long women can go without thinking about sex, and women are astounded by how long men can go without thinking about housecleaning” to “Almost every level of happiness, and positiveness in relationships is related to housework”, I can’t quite believe that they’re really breaking things down to “Men want sex” and “women want a clean house.” What is this, 1950? It even goes so far to say that what a guy should give a woman for Valentine’s day is a complete housecleaning. WTF?!? If Mr. Athena came home on Valentine’s Day and announced he was cleaning the house, I’d kick his butt out the door and tell him to not come back until he has a bottle of champagne and a dozen roses. Trust me, I want that WAY more than I want a clean house. So am I way off base here, or are you all gonna agree with that article and tell me that sex in a sparkling clean bedroom is the ultimate fantasy for the bulk of the American public? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/2 "2006-02-14T23:14:34Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > So am I way off base here, or are you all gonna agree with that article and tell me that sex in a sparkling clean bedroom is the ultimate fantasy for the bulk of the American public? Yep. Clean bed. Dirty sex. Sign me up. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/3 "2006-02-14T23:22:16Z")
I wouldn’t call it a fantasy, exactly, but yeah, having things looking nice and running smoothly is far more likely to put me in the mood than flowers or chocolate or booze. I wouldn’t require that he do it all himself. But I do get frustrated when I feel that I’m being taken for granted in the childcare/errand/housework department. And I definitely don’t feel romantic when I’m tired and anxious. ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Tonya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/4491bb/32.png) [@Queen\_Tonya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Tonya)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/4 "2006-02-14T23:46:34Z")
Please pardon the drool, I got a little excited about the thought of a clean house as a surprise gift. I don’t value chocolates, flowers or jewelry much, other’s do and that’s all well and happy, so there you go. I’d totally go bonkers for the thoughtfulness and effort of cleaning the house. Hypothetically, it doesn’t make a lot of sense, I’ll give you that. I think of champagne and roses and other typical V-day gifts as Things I Could Buy if I were interested, which I’m not. I’m just as capable of cleaning the house as I am of shopping, of course, but the difference for me lies in the fact that I desire a clean house but often have neither time or energy to accomplish it. So him cleaning the house would speak volumes about how well he knows me, not to mention that’s it takes way more time and effort than just stopping by a store on his way home. It’s not “I can’t freak if there’s a sinkful of dishes” as much as “what a thoughtful gift of relaxation” since it would cancel a good chunk of my permanent to-do list. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/5 "2006-02-14T23:47:18Z")
Yeah. I’m not really interested in flowers. I would love to have a totally clean house. A man doing dishes is damn sexy. If the house is messy, then it bothers me on a subconcious level, and I find it difficult to relax. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/6 "2006-02-14T23:51:11Z")
What **Cher3** and **Queen Tonya** said. A man with an apron is a sexy man. But then again, I think my fiancé is just sexy with or without apron, period. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2006, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/7 "2006-02-14T23:56:50Z")
Aw, hell yeah! What’s that old joke? A male prostitute told me he’d do anything for $50…so I paid him and told him to clean my house! What’s hot and dirty? A man with his arms in a sink full of dishes! I would be way more turned on by a clean house than fermented grape juice. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Cymbeline](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_cymbeline/32/9244_2.png) [@Green\_Cymbeline](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Cymbeline)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/8 "2006-02-15T00:03:52Z")
When I came home from a trip recently and found that my boyfriend had cleaned the house from top to bottom, I literally jumped his bones right then and there. The effort and thought of it was a huge turn-on. And, there was more time to have sex because the house wasn’t in disarray, and my mind wasn’t burdened by it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/9 "2006-02-15T00:12:56Z")
:smack: (… and at once he heads for Border’s to get books on housecleaning hints, and for the local -Mart to get mops, brooms, buckets, sponges, various cleansers, vacuum cleaner bags…) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/10 "2006-02-15T00:14:08Z")
Crock’o’shit. > [@The article in question](#): > > Men are astounded by how long women can go without thinking about sex Maybe the men in question were oblivious to what the women were thinking about? ---
**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/11 "2006-02-15T00:28:25Z")
I second (third and fourth on preview) the fact that if my house is clean and tidy, my mind is free to fill with other things … at the top of the list is how sexy Mr. Adoptamom’s butt is which always leads to what HE’S most interested in. It’s a win-win situation. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/12 "2006-02-15T00:32:59Z")
**GorillaMan** , the article measured " how long women can go without thinking about sex" by how long it took them to take the inititiative, if the husband waited for the woman to initiate sex. ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/13 "2006-02-15T00:45:13Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > If Mr. Athena came home on Valentine’s Day and announced he was cleaning the house, I’d kick his butt out the door and tell him to not come back until he has a bottle of champagne and a dozen roses. Trust me, I want that WAY more than I want a clean house. I’m pretty confident that there’s no way I could survive a relationship with someone that needed more than a favor like a clean house for Valentine’s day. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/14 "2006-02-15T00:55:19Z")
Yeah, I’ll take the clean house. That would rock, too bad he doesn’t know how to clean. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/15 "2006-02-15T01:20:11Z")
The wife and I fall pretty neatly within the stereotype, sad to say. While we’re both fairly tidy, she has a much lower tolerance for disorder than I do, so she knows that if I’m cleaning beyond the usual routine stuff, it’s because I know it’ll make her happy. And it does, oddly enough. When she was out of town a few weeks ago, I gave the house a thorough cleaning before she got home. She was quite touched. (A lot more touched than she was by my Saran Wrap bodysuit, let me tell you.) ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/16 "2006-02-15T01:33:25Z")
I like a clean house. Less distractions. Material things are nice, but you know, if the house is a mess, roses and champagne is just going to add to the clutter. UGH! The cleaner the house is, the more time there is for sex! Mr. Stasaeon is very anal about housekeeping, too, which means… Aw, you can make your own jokes from here on out. You will anyway. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/17 "2006-02-15T01:40:32Z")
Am I the only woman in the world who doesn’t care about a clean apartment, and doesn’t even really notice the mess? 😕 I’m agreeing with **Athena**. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/18 "2006-02-15T01:46:15Z")
Curiously, ladies, I just had the maids in today. The line forms to the right. Man, is the house **clean**. Note: In the interests of fairness it’s their regular day. And I brought Lady Chance home a dozen roses and some crystal. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/19 "2006-02-15T02:08:46Z")
Pffft! You ladies need to learn to quit pinching my butt while doing the dishes! I’m not a piece of meat ya know! After reading this thread I just though of the perfect pick up line: “Wana go back to your place and watch me do the dishes?” :dubious: \<---- \*indicates the sexy one eyebrow raised. (not dubious) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2006, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549/20 "2006-02-15T02:51:27Z")
It’s Valentine’s Day. Wanna watch me… clean and caulk the bathtub? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sex-and-housework-are-people-really-this-stupid/344549.md?page=2)