Gender And Family Roles In The American Family

Since the dawn of time, men and women have held very distinct places in society. For example, in regards to family life, men have traditionally served as the hunters, gatherers, and providers. Conversely, women have historically served as cooks, cleaners, and caretakers to their husbands and children. For centuries, these family roles were the cultural norm, especially in the typical American household. However, in recent years, society has seen a gradual shift away from this family dynamic. Many married women are no longer just caretakers, but are major contributors to the family income. In fact, there are many households in which the husband stays at home and the wife works. This change reflects a shift in societal attitudes and expectations

However, I do believe that the results provide a very basic insight into American values and beliefs. For example, I was surprised to learn from Table 1 that only about one third of respondents believed that both husband and wife should contribute to household income. In a day where women and men are equal, I was expecting that figure to hover around 70%. I also assumed that the income between married couples presented in Table 2 would more closely reflect the results in Table 1. In other words, because people did not necessarily agree or disagree with the idea that both husband and wife should earn an income, I anticipated that if any income gap existed between men and women, it would be minimal. However, this was not the case as most males reported earning more than their spouses. In fact, as seen in Table 3, over 50% of women earn less than $25,000 annually. Such information indicates that although more married women work and are financially independent than previously before, a good portion of them still rely on their spouses to a certain degree. Thus, the financial roles held by husband and wife in the American household has changed, but in many ways it still mirrors what has traditionally been seen throughout