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April 29, 2005

Freshman Writing 140

June Cleaver to Rosie the Riveter: Finding Fulfillment in Choice

From the popular television series Leave it to Beaver to Desperate Housewives and movies like The Stepford Wives and Mona Lisa Smile, popular culture provides much social commentary on gender roles, particularly within the institution of homemaking. The stereotypes themselves are unclear—some maintain a picturesque view of the homemaker vacuuming in pearls while others envision a lazy woman in sweats watching soap operas and talk shows. If a homemaker is defined as a person with no full-time paid employment outside the home, a wide range of possibilities for spending time and energy exist. Some argue that the institution of homemaking is responsible for proliferating stereotypes, but upon further examination of how homemaking has evolved over the years, one finds that a much broader range of possibilities exists. Myths and stereotypes about the institution of homemaking provide no adequate reason to condemn it. Instead, the importance of homemakers to the community reveals a deep moral need for understanding and supporting them, which would strengthen their ability to contribute different and much needed talents to society.

The strong Feminist resurgence of the 1960s and 70s rebelled against the family stereotypes of earlier decades, striving for equality in the workplace and the freedom to choose careers outside of the home. Women no longer wanted to be viewed as domestic help or childcare providers. However, in an effort to prove their capability to compete in the “man’s world,” radical feminists began to see women who were content with homemaking as a threat, and some even argued that any woman who claims to be happy as a housewife is only blind to oppression because of years of social conditioning. While the goal of the movement, which was equality regardless of sex, made many significant advances, some of the extremist views have been detrimental to society as a whole. Today, many women complain that “the pressure to succeed in the public world of commerce and culture is no better than the pressure women felt in those awful, benighted, 1950s to become full-time makers of a home for husband and children” (Fields). Some have misinterpreted the ability of women to choose professional careers as a mandate that all women must enter the workforce. One of the current stereotypes of homemakers today is that they are either too lazy to get a “real” job or are incapable of handling domestic duties along with a profession. Proliferation of this new stereotype has given the institution of homemaking a negative connotation. A recent news article explains:

Feminists and their bosom buddies among the cultural elite sneer at stay-at-home moms. Who would proudly call herself a ‘homemaker’ these days? Not many people. Even the most prominent holdouts recently bowed to pressure. This July, the Future Homemakers of America, a 220,000-member student organization, changed its name. Goodbye, homemakers. Hello, Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (Gahr).

Society’s negative view of homemaking causes unwarranted shame for those who choose that lifestyle and often promotes an opposite stereotype of women—the assumption that all women want careers outside the home. The general public usually rejects the stereotype that a woman’s “place” is the home, and it should likewise reject the feminist stereotype that a woman’s “place” is the workforce. Consequentially, one cannot blame either the home or the workforce for encouraging stereotypes, but must find fault with those who have a misinformed opinion of both. Though homemaking is often associated with stereotypes, its existence does not encourage the idea that women are only suitable for a domestic role, but merely shows that certain women, and men as well, prefer this lifestyle choice.

While many of the current problems and stereotypes of homemaking deal with feminine subjection, the institution of homemaking is not only open to women. With the growing number of stay-at-home dads in the United States, homemaking challenges gender stereotypes by finding it equally acceptable for either a man or a woman to carry responsibilities in the household. In fact, “more than one-third of the women on Fortune magazine’s list of the 50 most powerful women in business have a husband at home either full- or part-time” (“At-Home”). Some fathers have found this to be an especially challenging position in light of preconceived notions of gender roles. Sometimes even more than women, men feel pressure to justify the choice to be a homemaker because of the stereotype that the husband should be the “breadwinner” and the “perception that [they are] getting off easy” (Soma). For gender equality to be truly effective, society must allow both men and women the freedom to choose any combination of work inside or outside of the home. Homemaking is not an excuse for unemployment or a last resort for the untalented, but a legitimate career choice and commitment. One stay-at-home father explains, “What I do may be called homemaking. But what I am is a pioneer, standing on the social frontier, helping to shape a new image of what a father can do and be” (Soma). Like the feminists before them, male homemakers challenge the gender stereotypes of society. Because “homemaking” is not synonymous with “womanhood,” much of the following discussion applies to both men and women, since male homemakers today can find themselves “subjected” to a female counterpart.

Though extreme feminism, as extremes of all sorts, can be detrimental to society, feminists and homemakers really can work together—or be one and the same. Because feminism encourages freedom for women to make choices in different areas of life, it is only natural that a feminist should respect a woman for choosing to be a homemaker, even if many of the profession’s duties seem domestically subservient. The marked difference is choice: “A feminist homemaker stays home because she wants to be with her children, not because she believes it to be her designated place” (McCloskey). This simple distinction shows how homemaking can be a respectable career choice instead of a lifestyle that a person takes on solely because she feels it is her duty as a woman. Further, the morale of a homemaker will be greatly dependant on her choice since “a homemaker who perceives potential for satisfaction in her work is a more motivated worker in addition to being a happier worker” (York 56). A person who feels as if he or she would be satisfied with specific work will be motivated to do it. The reverse is true as well—if a person does not think homemaking would be a satisfactory career path, he or she would logically be unmotivated to excel. Really, the issue comes down to the personal choices of each individual.

Articulation of these desires is particularly important in marriage. Studies show that even though opinions about gender roles have changed, “men still feel pressure to be breadwinners and women still feel they should keep the home fire burning and the hearth clean. An emotional minefield awaits those couples expecting perfect equality…it is crucial to create a situation each partner perceives as fair” (“Dishes”). When a couple decides to marry, or join in a similar union, articulating their future plans and goals is crucial. If both partners highly value careers, then they can share household duties more equally. However, if the husband feels the need to be the provider for the family and the wife would prefer to care for the home, then the two may split chores more unevenly and allow the wife less time for paid employment in order to focus on the home. Unions between couples with differing ideals can be problematic. The two must either reach a compromise or decide not to marry because marrying without discussing expectations can cause resentment for both individuals involved. The personal decisions cannot be generalized based on sex but must be applied within specific marriages. While homemaking does incorporate the traditional picture of femininity—economic dependence, a career secondary to the family, and emphasis on domestic duties—feminist Liz McCloskey remarks that “ironically, it does not feel so funny after all.” Homemaking may not be the career desire for all women, but for some, it can be a genuinely fulfilling lifestyle, despite the stereotypes it seems to embody.

Still, the traditional picture of a homemaker encounters some unique problems and stereotypes of its own that need to be properly addressed. A central problem to the institution of homemaking is that it leaves one spouse dependant on the other for his or her livelihood. If a wife is uneducated or unaccustomed to the workforce, it may be very difficult for her to support herself should her husband no longer be able to provide or choose not to do so. This presented problems in the past as those described as dependant are often viewed as “weaker.” However, new programs, such as The Displaced Homemaker Emergency Loan Act Program, or DHELA, provide options that prevent the homemaker whose livelihood was upset by divorce, death, or other such displacement from being helpless without his or her provider. The availability of aid, along with wider education options decreases dependence by providing a “way out” that many women of the past were never offered. One recipient of the loan said of her experience: “It has made a tremendous difference financially, but also it has given me a sense of independence that at one time I did not have nor did I feel I could have. Through getting started on my own I have acquired self esteem and self confidence that I am very grateful for” (Commission 48). With new programs like DHELA, women can break free from the stereotype that they are the “weaker sex” and need protection from a man. Male domination of women is also problematic in the idea that “the satisfaction of women with marriage is related to how much the husband values her” (Chang). This suggests that the husband has the ability to make a woman feel either fulfilled or unsatisfactory. While the husband’s opinion of his wife will certainly affect her self-esteem, society as a whole also has a great deal of influence over her opinion of her job, and with the growing number of male homemakers, societal approval becomes increasingly important. If gender stereotypes continue, homemakers will encounter the added battle of defending their choice and could suffer from low morale due to under-appreciation. With less restraint on independence, personal satisfaction is a growing problem for the person who chooses this lifestyle of service.

Meanwhile, a homemaker’s work often extends outside the home and into the community. In Taiwan, the Homemakers’ Union and Foundation, HUF, “created a space for the homemaker’s voice. They, as a socially marginalized group, became movement initiators and actors” (AERC). Because these women do not have careers outside the home, they are able to involve themselves in environmental, educational, and consumer issues that affect their everyday lives. This is certainly a benefit to society, since not many career professionals have the excess time or schedule flexibility to become involved in social work. This type of positive organization and helpful aide to society will do more to break down gender stereotypes that insulting or attempting to abolish the institution of homemaking altogether. The trend toward homemakers as an agent for social change challenges the “prevailing belief that the social activities of housewives are hobbies and volunteer activities. These new interests are also different from those of existing women’s organizations in that housewives organize new groups to bring about concrete results in relation to the issues that affect every day life” (“Mass Movements”). For instance, a group of female graduates of the Department of Korean Literature have organized to discuss ideas for children’s books, with the goal of writing ten books each within the year. A member of this group, Park Juglan explains, “Since we don’t like what we see at the bookstores, we try to include useful ideas and environmental concerns. We want to write something useful for our children to read” (“Mass Movements”). These women have found a creative way to use their special talents to serve a need in the community. While housework is a necessary chore, the modern housewife would consider many of her other endeavors to be the real purpose of her occupation. When the homemaker is able to invest time in other worthy causes, he or she can contribute greatly with his or her own special talents and skills. In many cases, homemakers prefer “the activities where their expertise and experiences can be utilized rather than tasks involving simple physical labor” (“Mass Movements”). Though they do not receive monetary pay for work, if they feel that they are able to contribute to a worthy cause that utilizes their unique abilities, homemaking is more fulfilling. For some people, their personal talents and aspirations may involve areas of work outside of the traditional “nine to five” job. For instance, a person who possesses a passion to help the homeless might spend time each week volunteering at a shelter, or a mother who wants to help out the public school system invests in the PTA. Many organizations rely on the volunteer work of those willing to help, and the lack of salary for this labor does not make it any less noble than other professions. In fact, volunteer work may be more commendable because it is performed out of a selfless desire to help others instead of with the intent of getting a return (like a paycheck) for one’s labor. If a person finds that his or her specific skills are more suited to this type of lifestyle, he or she should be encouraged to pursue it. All people are suited for different roles in life and should work together so that each contributes in a unique way to create the most complete and advantageous community possible. By repudiating housewives, society would destroy a very important contributor to its well-being and would weaken the life experience for all involved.

Arguably, feminism has achieved great accomplishments in encouraging society to value the thoughts and opinions of women. Such a dramatic and radical movement may have been necessary to bring some of the blatant circumstances of inequality to light, and now society can move toward a more acceptable middle ground—where personal autonomy in relation to lifestyle choices is respected and revered for the business professional and homemaker alike. If the homemaker feels happy with her role at home and finds appreciation from her spouse and the society at large, she is then free from the oppression and stereotyping that women’s liberation movements have tried to prevent. Likewise, the introduction of men into the institution of homemakers continues to abolish gender stereotypes for both sexes. Gender equality and homemaking can go hand-in-hand. Today, “Junes” and “Rosies” can be best friends—both respectful of each others’ choices and proud of the special contributions each has made to her community.

Works Consulted

“At-Home Dads on the Rise.” ProQuest. Voice Male. (2003): p 6. 21 March 2005 .

Chang, Hyekyung, Kim, and Youngran. “A Study of the Psychological and Emotional State of Full-Time Housewives.” ProQuest. Women’s Studies Forum. 17 (2001): p 163. 21 March 2005 .

Commission on the Status of Women. An Evaluation of the Displaced Homemaker Emergency Loan Act Program. Sacramento: 1990.

“Doing More Than the Dishes, Honey?” ProQuest. Voice Male. (2005): p 7. 21 March 2005 .

Fields, Suzanne. “The High Honor of Being a Homemaker.” LookSmart’s FindArticles. 2002. News World Communications, Inc. 22 March 2005 .

Gahr, Evan. “Former Homemakers of America.” LookSmart’s FindArticles. 1999. American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research. 22 March 2005 .

The Hearst Corporation. Reader Reactions to Magazines: A Study of the Homemaker Readers of Six Magazines. New York: Market Facts, 1963.

“Housewives: New Mass Movements.” ProQuest. Korean Women Today. 41 (1993): p 7. 21 March 2005 .

Liao, Shu-chuan. “Voices from Within-Homemakers as Agents for Social Change.” 2001 AERC Proceedings. 2001. Northern Illinois University, USA. 20 March 2005 .

Mackeprang, Muriel. A Comparison of the Marital Adjustment of Couples in Which the Wife is Gainfully Employed Full Time Outside the Home with Couples in Which the Wife is a Full-Time Homemaker. Los Angeles: The University of Southern California Graduate School, 1949.

McCloskey, Liz. “Feminist Homemaker Confesses: Taking the Irony out Housework.” LookSmart’s FindArticles. 1996. Commonweal Foundation. 22 March 2005 .

Soma, Tom. “What Do You Do? – Father as Full-Time Homemaker.” LookSmart’s FindArticles. 1995. Mothering Magazine. 22 March 2005 .

York, Karen Portugal. Factors of Occupational Satisfaction in the Work of the Homemaker. Los Angeles: The University of Southern California Graduate School, 1969.