symmetrical

Source: Abercrombie and Warde et al.//Contemporary British Society. Third Edition//(2002:289)

Original sentence: "Young and Willmott(1973) argued that, in modern Britain, a new family form, the symmetrical family, which did not require a domestic division of labour, was slowly emerging, one in which the roles of men and women were less differentiated."

Definition: adj. (also symmetric) an object or design that is symmetrical has two halves that are exactly the same shape and size.

Longman Dictionaly of Contemporary English(2003)

understanding of the word in the sentence: In the original sentence, it means that the housework should be shared by both men and women in one household.That is a way to overcome inequality in the area of households and family.