Today's liberated woman: Combines work and ironing together

London, Jan 23 (UNI) A century after suffragette movement, many would claim that women have attained an equal place in the ''patriarchal society'' and are getting best of both the worlds.

After all they can have a job, go out with friends and colleagues-- and do the cooking, cleaning and laundry as well.

While most Britons paid lip service to 21st century notions of sexual equality, many were actually living by 19th century values, a survey revealed yesterday.

Even as more than four-fifths of men rejected the idea that women should stay at home because earning money was a male prerogative as ''old fashioned'', only 23 per cent of couples claimed that they split domestic chores evenly between them.

The annual British Social Attitudes report polling more than 3,000 people, however, confirmed that attitudes to sex were becoming steadily more liberal with seven out of ten saying there was nothing wrong with sex before marriage.

But views were more traditional when it came to bringing up children. ''Children seem to hold a particular position in people's attitudes to family life. When they are involved, alternative family arrangements are seen as less acceptable.'' report's author Simon Duncan said.

UNI XC SYU RS1236