New age men claim they don’t have fragile egos when it comes to their partners/girlfriends making more money than them. A recent survey by knowledge processing outsourcing and research firm AbsolutData Research and Analytics reveals that with 83 per cent women earning less than their husbands, their financial independence had no impact on their relationship, while more than a third felt it actually improved their relationship. We speak to men and find out if it bothers them if their girlfriends or wives earn more than them.
Advertising professional Khalid Nabi asserts, “If my girlfriend earns more than me, why would it worry or upset me in anyway? I would be supportive of her doing so well for herself. And I certainly wouldn’t mind her spending on both of us. Like she doesn’t mind when I do.”
Today, more and more couples prefer to see the big picture than get into minor squabbles. Most men are comfortable with their partners earning as well as spending independent of them.
Public relations executive Siddhartha Sen says mutual understanding is the key in a strong relation. He says, “A lot depends on how a guy is brought up by his parents. Especially if he’s not exposed to behaviour where he is made to believe that women are inferior to men.”
However, media professional Shweta Sarkar believes that a man’s mentality about a woman can’t change. “One of the reasons why my previous relationship didn’t work out was because I earned more than my partner. I never bothered to hide this from him, as I was comfortable with our respective earnings. Sadly, he wasn’t. He would flinch if I paid when we went out for dinner or a movie. When we discussed marriage, he would tell me that he would find a suitable well-paying job first and then think about marriage.”
For medical professional Ranadip Chowdhury, it’s the space that a couple gives each other that matters most. “Money is a matter of concern, but space matters more according to me. If this line is crossed, other unnecessary issues become prominent. To me, this factor is more important than what my better-half earns.”