The latter part of the 1960s brought many changes in the roles of women in the homes. The changes offset a number of issues that are positive and negative. Male advocates against these changes opine that the changes led to the breakdown in the family structure and values. But, how can the increase in financial assistance in the family lead to disaster? The responses vary as many critics believe that the family is the center of the values that individuals learn and present in the society. In fact, some critics go as far as to suggest that a woman’s role is that of caregiver and not breadwinner. Such archaic views lead to a demoralizing of the real value or worth of a woman. Arguably, women are more advanced academically and provide much of the positive changes in the world of work. It is clear that women manage their time as breadwinners and homemakers remarkably well as the advancement in technology and development around the world suggests that the changes in women’s role have little or no impact on the society.
Interestingly, news reporter, Liza Mundy, shares the idea that “the advent of female breadwinning is a crime against nature. But it’s here to stay and will alter the way men and women date, mate, marry, plan, cook, clean, entertain, talk, retire, have sex, raise children and feel happy,” (Mundy, par, 13). Personally, there is no doubt that this change in the role of women adds to the issues that continue to surface about the ways in which the working woman impacts on the society. But, the harsh reality is that working women have become self-sufficient and are more likely to govern the home and their jobs. Why should they then waste the wealth of knowledge they possess? Mundy further points to the 2012 study that shows that “for the first time, women were scoring higher in IQ tests than men, “ (par, 1) and that “girls have long been doing better than boys in GCSEs, and today they make up the majority of university students, (par. 2). Clearly this talent should be added to the working world so as to improve the educational and social standards in the society.
Over the years, feminists waged a proverbial war on the role of males as the primary breadwinners and women as the homemakers. Rampell notes “women are not only more likely to be the primary caregivers in a family [but,] increasingly, they are primary breadwinners,” (Rampell, par.1). In many respects, women continue to show that the changes in their roles removed the reality that males often undermine their positions. As a result, women advocates have made it their goal to encourage women to work as hard as men at becoming the ultimate breadwinner. Women devote much of their time to pursuing their careers and at the same time they devote time to their families. Does this really have a negative impact on the family? Or, are the recent arguments that the changes in the role of women false? A closer look at the positive advancement of the country suggests that women have skillfully managed being homemakers and breadwinners as children continue to excel in school even as mothers work long hours to improve their financial situations.
“For centuries, women have served their families—preparing food, making clothes, and performing other functions—to make homes for their husbands and children,” (“Women And Minorities In Management,” par.2). With the changes in economic opportunities and time and the “move from the farms to the factories, the roles of women began to evolve,” (“Women and Minorities in Management, par. 1). As an alternative to staying home and working for their families, women choose to work outside of the home. The fact that women value education more than men suggests that there is much ease in which these women enter the world of work. The fact that these women are able to get better paying jobs leads to animosity from their male counterparts and often leads to a breakdown in the marriages. In contrast to popular beliefs, the breakdown in these marriages stem from the imminent jealousy of their male counterparts as women excel in fields men once dominated. Of course, one can sympathize with these males who recognize that the changes in the role of women will have a significant on their masculinity and pride. Honestly, which honest and virtuous man appreciates the fact that his wife earns more than he does? To a number of men, this change adds insult and changes the male’s unrealistic perspective that a man should take care of his family.
The reality is that there is more to the family than mothers providing love and care for their families. There is no law that suggests that men cannot be homemakers. Studies show that men have assumed the roles of homemakers and do an outstanding job of relying on their female counterparts to carry out their jobs. However, a number of critics point out that the traditional family patterns have changed as a sexual upheaval in the society led to women to imitating male sexual promiscuity. Arguably, feminists in the society believe that a woman can unearth individuality and completion only in a career. In former years, the woman as the homemaker meant that women were "parasites," and less than human, as they lived life without making much use of her intelligence. Clearly, this role served to de-motivate women whose real purpose rest in devoting herself to her male counterpart, her children, and her home. How beneficial is this confinement when women can offer so much more to the society?
The typical male chauvinist would suggest that the well-being of the family is significantly weaker than it was nearly fifty years ago. Rampell suggests that “about half of Americans say that children are better off if their mother is at home and doesn’t have a job,” (Rampell, par.7). But, in reality the changes in the roles of women are not the only reasons for the negative changes in the family structure. Conversely, a family is the central part of every community as families play an integral role of keeping people together as a unit. The head of each family is distinctive, but should not be limited to the males. By tradition, the male is the breadwinner who works several days per week to provide financial benefits for the family. On the other hand, women are the as they take care of the house and the children. However the revolutionary changes in the society shows that men play a more dynamic role in the developmental aspects of the lives of children. The society expects women to be more active outside of the home as they work to provide financial assistance to their families. But, this has caused a separation among many people in the society because of the advantage and consequences associated with women who work outside of the home.
As more females enter the labor market, there is an increase in the belief that families face numerous conflicts as there is a clash between family responsibilities and work “sometimes resulting in a maternal wall that limits the employment opportunities of workers with care-giving responsibilities,” (Work Family Conflicts, par.1). The conflicts stem from the fact that lower-paid workers find more challenges as they attempt to balance work and their families. They cannot find suitable childcare providers; therefore they find many challenges in the working arena as they cannot find the time to take on added responsibilities. Therefore, one could say that this disadvantage leads to added stress in the homes as these mothers become frustrated and act on their frustrations in the homes. In other instances, children find themselves in unsupervised care, and as such, they become deviants in the society. These negative factors lead critics with concrete evidence to suggest that the changing roles of women have a negative impact on the family. But, the problems do not rest with women becoming “breadwinners.” One could easily justify one’s belief that the negative impact of the changing roles of women is greater that women finding ways to improve their income. Obviously, the problem lies in the lack of support from the males in these families.
Many critics believe that women who work harm their families, but the truth is that working women teach positive values to their children. Both non-working and working parents share one common goal and that is to ensure that they provide for their children. But, how can mothers provide for their families when their male counterparts leave the homes and take with them the responsibilities of financial assistance for their families? The harsh reality is that the problems in the families are bigger than the fact that women work to provide for their families.
Many women find that in order to survive, they must work. Children are aware of the shortcomings in their families and respect their working mothers who struggle to take care of their basic needs. In addition, the harsh economic conditions in the country force both parents to work in order to survive financially. Nevertheless, Professor Doctor Vinita Chandra suggests that due to women becoming “breadwinners,” there is the burden of the work-family argument. Chandra adds that this conflict is a “form of inter-role conflict in which the role pressures from the work and family domains are mutually incompatible in some respect,” (Chandra, p.235). This conflict indicates that participation at work becomes more difficult as there is interference from the home.
Parents work because of the indisputable economic advantages associated with having both parents working. Studies show that families that have both parents working make more money than those families where only one parent earns financial benefits. Gebreyes notes “Money affects the power dynamics of any relationship” (par.1), but this should not change the relationship in the homes as the primary goal of every family should be the care and protection of its members. The reality is that with a second income families are better able to meet their financial needs and create a better life for children. Arguably, mothers who work create a positive foundation for their children as they teach the value of independence, self-worth, and dedication. The reality is that a working mother can teach a child that it is important to be self-reliant as they show a willingness to work to achieve personal goals. In the end, a child learns a sense of freedom, satisfaction, and accomplishment. Many critics point out that working females shatter the stereotype that women are mindless as they sit at home and do nothing, but the truth is that women have always worked without pay. The fact that women want to be paid for the hard work they do, and want to “work” in a formal working environment should not warrant the controversy of the modern critic.
While there are challenges to the emerging roles of women as “breadwinners,” the new role adds a sense of being independent and this feeling can be taught to children on a whole. Arguably, there are many positive lessons that females can teach to their children about balancing time and efforts as they work. Children who see both parents working learn quickly the value and importance of success as parents balance the training of their children and teaching them about the benefits of achieving success through hard work. Some critics may counter this argument and argue that the fact that women work leads to their male counterparts cheating in the relationships. This argument is unfounded as one would expect that males would appreciate the fact that during this economic crisis, women choose to help to ease the financial burdens.
One may say that the changing role of women places children at a disadvantage as children become members of daycare centers. But how does this become a problem when children learn how to socialize in these environments? Personally, daycares offer a wealth of knowledge that comes with socializing with others. Some critics may argue that the absence of mothers in children’s lives lead to aggressive children, but this opinion is unwarranted as deviance and aggression can also occur in the homes where loving parents reside. Of course, there are daycare centers that do not have proper care facilities and caregivers neglect children. Similarly, there are homes that offer the same negative packages as parents face the financial burdens. Studies show that when children socialize in positive environments, there is positive growth and development. Interestingly, positive developments can also be found in day care facilities as children learn to socialize with their peers.
In concluding, the arguments surrounding the changes in women’s roles are solid in many respects and flawed in others. Mothers, who work, teach the values of independence, self-respect, self-worth, and the ability to balance time. Many working mothers still find time to help with their children’s school work, cook, clean, and interact with the schools. Undoubtedly, children learn the valuable lessons of not being idle, but of being hardworking and productive individuals. Of course, there are those instances where the male counterparts become jealous of the competition in the working world and this lack of understanding leads to the breakdown in the families. One must be honest and careful in placing the blame in the right direction: women as “breadwinners do not cause problems in the family. The problems stem from the males inability to accept that the times have changed and women are no longer comfortable with being the proverbial household furniture. Instead, women realize that they can make meaningful contributions to the society. Therefore, they should be allowed to play their part without having to deal with the constant badgering of the male chauvinists who believe that women should stay at home and maintain the homes.
Works Cited
Chandra, Vinita, (2010) “Women and Work-Family Interface: Indian Context,” Journal of Asia
Pacific Studies ( 2010) Vol 1, No 2, 235-258. Internet Version. Viewed at
<http://www.japss.org/upload/7.%20chandra.pdf> Accessed October 4, 2014
Mundy, Liza (2012, September 7) “Women Are Becoming The Bread Winners - And It Will
Transform Every Aspect Of Our Lives,” The Daily Mail. Internet Version. Viewed at
<http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2200020/Women-bread-winners--transform-
aspect-lives.html > Accessed: October 3, 2014Rampell, Catherine, (2013, May 29) “U.S. Women on the Rise as Family Breadwinner, The New
York Times. Internet Version. Viewed at < http://www.nytimes.com> Accessed October
3, 2014
“Work Family Conflicts” Enforcement Guidance: Unlawful Disparate Treatment Of Workers
With Care-giving Responsibilities, Feb 8 2011, Viewed at
<http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/docs/caregiving.html> Accessed October 3, 2014
“Women and Minorities in Management” (n.a, n.d) Viewed at
<http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/management/Tr-Z/Women-and-Minorities-in-
Management.html#ixzz3FQf9gikW> Accessed October 3, 2014
Gebreyes, Rahel (2014, September 15) “How To Make A Relationship Work When She's The
Breadwinner” Huffington Post Live. Internet Version. Viewed at
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/15/relationship-breadwinner_n_5823040.html> Accessed October 5, 2014
