Trends in marriage and family have changed overtime and each generation has its own unique social structures and patterns. Since World War II, trends in marriage and divorce, sexual attitudes, gender roles and relations in U.S have been drastically changing. And these changes reveal the social values and norms, and the impact of the political and historical events of each specific time periods. As time progress, we see an increase in expressive individualism among men and women in the society. Meaning that more people value and focus on their own personal expression, self-development, and emotional satisfaction. They make choices on how they live their life, and if they are discontent in a relationship they are justified in ending it. In
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It was called the “golden age” period because of the postwar economic prosperity. Marriage and birth rate elevated at a younger age ranges in early 20s for women and mid 20s for men. Marriage was considered as an obligation for men and women and the gender roles were rigid in a marriage. Men were the head of the household. They were expected to provide financial support to the family and they were often the authorities and decision makers in the family. Women in the 1960s played a homemaker and childrearing role in a marriage. They were expected to be the dispenser of the family who provided emotional support to their family members especially to their …show more content…
The second phenomenon is the increase in breadwinning women. While nowadays men and women make a comparable amount of income, women on average acquire a higher education level than men. Therefore, there is a high possibility that more married women will be making more money than men and becoming the breadwinner of the household. The third phenomenon is that the responsibility of household labor and childrearing will be equally shared among husbands and wives. While young adults are now longing an egalitarian partnership, which means men and women agree upon on an equal share of responsibility on childrearing and household chores (Gerson, 2010:112). These trends in marriage and family are only the projection of current trend; therefore, they will change depending on the social values and acceptance of the particular
It was called the “golden age” period because of the postwar economic prosperity. Marriage and birth rate elevated at a younger age ranges in early 20s for women and mid 20s for men. Marriage was considered as an obligation for men and women and the gender roles were rigid in a marriage. Men were the head of the household. They were expected to provide financial support to the family and they were often the authorities and decision makers in the family. Women in the 1960s played a homemaker and childrearing role in a marriage. They were expected to be the dispenser of the family who provided emotional support to their family members especially to their …show more content…
The second phenomenon is the increase in breadwinning women. While nowadays men and women make a comparable amount of income, women on average acquire a higher education level than men. Therefore, there is a high possibility that more married women will be making more money than men and becoming the breadwinner of the household. The third phenomenon is that the responsibility of household labor and childrearing will be equally shared among husbands and wives. While young adults are now longing an egalitarian partnership, which means men and women agree upon on an equal share of responsibility on childrearing and household chores (Gerson, 2010:112). These trends in marriage and family are only the projection of current trend; therefore, they will change depending on the social values and acceptance of the particular