Philosopher Peggy Avez delves into the overlooked world of housework in a new essay, exploring its historical background, the ways it has been tied to gender roles, and the social stigma attached to it. Avez raises the question of whether cleaning, often seen as menial labor, can also be a space for reflection, creativity, and personal freedom. Her work examines how domestic tasks have historically been used to control and subjugate certain groups, particularly women and the working class. Avez points to specific historical examples to illustrate the dehumanizing aspects of housework. During the Anschluss in 1938, Jews in Vienna were forced to wash pavements on their knees, a practice that symbolized their degradation. Similarly, young girls in Bon Pasteur reform houses were made to scrub floors in the same humiliating posture. The act of kneeling, Avez notes, has long been associated with submission and the lowering of one's status. In contrast, Avez proposes a reimagining of housework, suggesting that it could be a space for mental liberation rather than oppression. She draws on the lives and writings of notable women such as Virginia Woolf, Gertrude Stein, Agatha Christie, and Mona Chollet, who found ways to think and create while performing domestic tasks. These examples highlight how women have historically used the time and space of housework to engage in intellectual and artistic pursuits. The essay will be published by François Bourin and will include 220 pages, priced at 20.00 €. In anticipation of its release, publishers Les Pérégrines will provide an excerpt from the essay, which will be published on 2 October as part of the Literary Return 2026: advance excerpts. This initiative allows readers to engage with the work before its full release, offering a glimpse into Avez's thought-provoking exploration of housework and its broader societal implications.