In class we discussed a film clip about married women who are working outside the home. This film placed great emphasis on proving to the reader that the women pictured were married. As each woman was introduced, the camera focused on her wedding ring while showing her performing her duties in the workplace.
The clip also showed men uncomfortable with their wives working. They would repeatedly say that their wives would be leaving their jobs soon only to be rebuffed. The women had no intentions of quitting thier jobs. These clips appeared to be over 40 years old. You would think much has changed in women’s opinion of maintaining dual responsibilities.
I did.
I also found out that there are still women out there who wondered why a woman would want to work if her husband wanted her to stay home. I must admit that I was surprised, given all the strides womanhood has made over the years. I can remember women burning their bras in protest and suffering over the lack of equality in the workplace.
While things have definitely changed there is a quiet undercurrent of sameness present.The number of women in the workplace has risen exponentially. It is no longer a rarity to see a married woman at work. Given today’s economy its hard not the see a woman helping to incresase the financial picture by returning to work. Two incomes do help to maintain the necessities of life and a few extras, perhaps. As the “extras” increase so does the need for additional income making a two paycheck household inevitable.
Many women work for the feeling of accomplishment it gives. Many men want women to work but don’t want to be upstaged. The extra income is a plus but the sense of empowerment women get from working is hard for men to acknowledge. In an effort to regain a little of that lost power, a husband might tell his wife to leave the employment world and devote her energies totally to the home. If she has been successful at her job it would be hard for her to give it up. Some might disagree with me. How do you feel about this? Let me know.
