The Economics of Race and Gender - Changing Roles in the Household - Term Paper Example

XXXXXXX Number: XXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXX of XXXXXXX The Economics of Raceand Gender - Changing Roles in the Household Introduction: Over the past few decades, there has been a wide range of changes in the position of women in society. Post the World War I and II, it has been clear that women are slowly becoming more indepenent and are less likely to be dependent on their husbands for survival (Levy). With the changing times, women slowly started taking on several men oriented jobs like steel workers, physicians, and also office managers along with their normal household duties as well. This paper aims at analysing ten recent articles about the changing roles and how women are now the bread winners in families while fathers have become ‘stay – at – home dads’. The changing roles have been discussed based on the views from the various articles. Rationale for Choice: This is an important topic as it brings out the current events in the society and also highlights the changes that have been noted in the markets. The style of living and even basic spending patterns have seen a major chance with the changing roles in the household. This topic plays a very important role in the current times and has not only brought out the revolution of women but also brings out the changing efforts of men and their contributions to the home front as well. Changing Roles in the Household: With the recession and the declining markets, the number of men who have lost their jobs has increased to a great extent. The research by Brown clearly indicates that almost 9.4% of the men are recorded to be unemployed, while only around 7% of women have been impacted by this recession (Brown). It has been noted with the changing times and the openness of society, there has been a higher acceptance of the men staying at home and taking care of the home chores while the wives go out and earn the money for the sustenance of the families. As very well explained by Lauren Young, “The definition of fatherhood has expanded to encompass a capacity for caregiving, just as motherhood has expanded to include breadwinning” (Young). It is also crucial to identify that the changes in roles in a number of cases is voluntary while in some cases is pushed upon. However as per the data from 2007, it has been noted that almost 33.5% of the women tend to earn much more than their husbands and there has been a higher number of men who are slowly losing out on their jobs due to the recession and the worsened economic conditions across the world. There have been varied views on the changing roles. As has been explained by Allison Linn, “While many female breadwinners say they enjoy their jobs and are proud of being able to support the family, some also say it’s difficult, and occasionally heart-wrenching, to balance work responsibilities with time for their kids or other obligations” (Linn). A report for the ‘The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything’ project clearly has identified that almost 65.3% of women and about 61.2% of men’s views have changed and developed over the years and people now equally accept and are comfortable with the fact that women earn more than the men within the households (Linn). Although there was a lot of struggle with dealing with the issue of women being the breadwinners while husbands being the care takers, people have slowly come around accept this, and work on the relationships in a more effective manner. There are several examples of marriages where the men are happier to be stay – at – home dads while the women are out being the breadwinners of the family. As well explained in the article by Zagata, “There is nothing wrong with this type of role reversal since both parents should share equally in the family responsibilities. Men who stay home out of necessity or preference should not feel guilty or feel any less of a provider. Dads in this position also get firsthand experience and gain a true understanding of the daily routine of stay at home moms. They soon find that its not so easy” (Zagata). It is however important to also note the key drivers that lead to higher number of women being the breadwinners. Firstly, women are now more educated and are also empowered to a great extent, with higher possibility to earn higher incomes as well as higher employment rates. Secondly, women are now becoming more career oriented and are willing to postpone their marriage and children until they have a strong career set up. Also, with the higher levels of connectivity there are higher chances for women to be more influential and effective as well and also helps in improving the confidence of women to a greater extent (AWI). It has also been clearly noted by Lewis that, “It has clearly become more socially acceptable for men to be and to say they are involved in child care, cooking and cleaning over the past three decades than it was in the past” (Lewis). Lewis brings out that the gender roles have seen a major changes and a research and survey conducted with about 3500 Americans has brought out that most young men and women are both challenging the traditional roles and are working towards having equal contribution for both the paid work, i.e. being bread winners as well as handling the household chores and childcare. Lewis highlights that new gender roles show up in both the homes as well as offices and women are now taking on more number of responsibilities. It has also been noted that both mothers as well as childless women are both increasingly looking for job roles with higher levels of responsibilities. Men have also accepted the new gender roles and most men contribute to the household chores and child care while their partners work outside (Lewis). According to the US Labor Department more than 57% of the married couples are dual income families and wives contribute to as much as thirty five percent of the family income (Kelleher). David Cross the director of Market Outlook has also highlighted that the income by the women in the family also help in contributing to the life style of the family. Kelleher also highlights that ‘men are changing…. Diapers’, while ‘women’s earnings have bolstered family income’. Kelleher explains that the higher income of the women is bring about a major change in the attitude of the men. Mark Penn has brought about a very different perspective on the topic and although the paper concentrates on the changing roles of households, it is also crucial to identify with the marketing of companies as well. Penn brings out that although the roles are changing in the households, marketers have not focused on the changes, i.e. on ‘dads’. Mothers are more focused on what children eat and to a great extent also started to overrule the requests for ‘happy meals’. Penn has brought out how companies and marketers have been missing out on major target markets, i.e. men, who in a lot of cases are the home makers in the present times. Hence this also adds a perspective to the changing roles within households which not only have an impact on the working within the families but also has a major impact on the marketing of products as well (J.Penn). Levy has brought out that women are willing to work and take up the responsibility of the homes as well as the work. This trend was started post World War I and II where men were away from home and this led the women to be forced to work and earn for the families to sustain themselves and children (Levy). This trend has still stayed on in the current time where recession has hit men and their jobs, leaving women to work and earn for the families. Linn gives an excellent example of Jessica Flores who explains, “It’s kind of empowering, in a way, to be able to increase my income and provide for my family because I don’t really know what we would do”, she moves on to also explain, “It’s still hard and we’re still barely squeaking by but, hey, at least we’re able to” (Linn). In the earlier stages, the reason women needed to work was to survive and feed the children while men were at War. In the current times the difference is not much and Linn explains, “Still, for many, the recession also has amplified the struggle to make ends meet” (Linn). Conclusions: In conclusion, it can clearly be noted that the gender roles within the family settings and households is constantly changing and women to a great extent are becoming the crux of the families. Men have also been noted to contribute to a great extent to the household chores and child care. As very effectively pointed out by Black, the numbers of dads in America who are turning into ‘Mr. Mom’ are at an all time rise and at unprecedented rates (Black). However it is also essential to note that there are still a number of men who although have lost their jobs in recession, continue to stay at home and not contribute to the household chores or even in the childcare. In a few cases, with the changing roles, the change in role has only impacted the women, who move from being the primary caretaker to also being the primary breadwinners of the family as well. With the changing society and the overly changing living costs, there is clearly a need for dual income families. This is the only way to ensure that the lifestyle of the families can remain intact. Also, in times of recession where men are being faced with layoffs and loss of jobs, women are slowly turning into the sole bread earners. The current times is more focused on working together and to share responsibilities equally rather than bringing in egos of the gender roles. The society is a free and democratic one and everyone has an equal responsibility to which they need to cater. Works Cited AWI. Changing Household & Gender Roles. 2010. 06 November 2010 . Black, Elizabeth. Stay-At-Home-Dads On The Rise? Not So Fast…. 20 June 2010. 03 November 2010 . Brown, Heidi. Household Economics: When A Woman Outearns Her Spouse. 06 December 2009. 02 November 2010 . J.Penn, Mark. Latching on to dad’s changing role. 09 January 2009. 03 November 2010 . Kelleher, Elizabeth. In Dual-Earner Couples, Family Roles Are Changing in U.S. 21 March 2007. 06 November 2010 . Levy, Joe. The Changing Role of Women in Society During World War I and World War II. 27 April 2009. 02 November 2010 . Lewis, Katherine. Gender Roles Change at Work and Home. 2010. 03 November 2010 . Linn, Allison. Rising number of women earn more than mates . February 11 2009. 03 November 2010 . Young, Lauren. Gender Wars: Why Working Mothers Envy Stay-At-Home Dads. 18 June 2009. 02 November 2010 . Zagata, Darlene. Working Moms, Stay at Home Dads. 23 December 2006. 01 November 2010 . Read More