TORONTO-Until recently, Josie Cameron was a powerful executive of a major Toronto-based marketing firm. But in the name of gender equality she's left all that behind to become a housewife.
"I always expected to be oppressed in the corporate world," she said. "But actually, I've been treated pretty well in my career. My rise to management has been fairly easy."
Unexpectedly for Josie, it was at home that the self-declared feminist felt like she was being held back.
Josie's husband, Patrick, was getting rather good at cooking and cleaning. The children were well behaved, and he helped them with their homework in the evenings.
On the rare occasion when Josie managed to make a meal, it was obvious that her kids thought her cooking wasn't as good as dad's.
Josie started to recognize what she describes as "creeping patriarchy".
"I became aware of this toxic culture emerging in our home. There was this unspoken notion that I couldn't make dinner or clean up because I'm a woman," she recalled. "I couldn't bear the thought that my children were going to grow up in the man's world that I've always tried to fight against, even though I'd never faced any discrimination until then."
She decided to take matters into her own hands.
"I told Patrick that the atmosphere in the house had become very misogynistic due to his appropriation of the role of homemaker into traditional masculinity ideology," she explained. "Fortunately Patrick was very understanding."
"It's all about acknowledging male privilege and taking steps to counter unconscious bias," Patrick said. "I didn't even realize what I was doing until she told me. That's how privilege works. It's not enough not to be misogynistic. You have to be anti-misogynistic."
With a chip on her shoulder and a supportive husband, Josie quit her job and decided to focus exclusively on becoming a housewife.
"Sometimes, we break one glass ceiling, and another forms behind us. We can never stop fighting for equality."
As for Patrick, he returned to his former career as a lawyer.
"I was quite enjoying cooking meals and taking care of the kids," said Patrick. "But as a male feminist I refuse to be a barrier to women's equality.
"And in my new practice I'm already making 30% more than Josie was before she quit, so we're much better off now anyway."
Since making the changes, the culture in the home has improved. Josie is getting much better at her duties around the house, and the children are adjusting well. She says it has even helped her marriage.
"Patrick brought me flowers the other day when he came home from work. I was so happy I squealed."