American Mothers are Trapped in the 1950s?
One thing that I have realized about feminists is that they are NEVER content nor happy. Their path, the broad path, is a bottomless pit of discontentment and anger. Consider this article titled “It’s 2021, but for American Mothers, it’s still the 1950s.” The author makes a list all the things that women have today: education, choice, basic respect, careers, acknowledgement, and possibilities. You would think they would be thrilled with all of this but no, it’s not enough. It will never be enough for them.
She complains that there just isn’t enough to support them. “We have the pressure to work, without the support of paid maternity leave or affordable childcare. The lip service to gender equality, without male partners willing to equally share the load. The recognition that it takes a village, but scorn for women who actually collaborate with a village of nannies, daycare providers and housekeepers.”
THEREFORE, what do they need? Bigger and more intrusive government! This seems to always be the answer for those on the Left (Democrats). Who pays for paid maternity leave and affordable childcare? The taxpayers which means these career women are taxed higher and bring home less money. They want their husbands to equally share the load. Hey, they’re the ones who left their God-ordained role for men’s role. Why should men have to equally share the load at home with them? Lastly, they want others to raise their children, so they can continue on with their careers. They care only about themselves and certainly not what is best for their children.
“This highly-educated, ambitious woman becomes the default parent, endures the ‘motherhood penalty’—a financial penalty for her parenthood, and bears the mental load of motherhood.” Isn’t this what motherhood is all about? Sacrificing our bodies, time, and energy on raising the next generation. We’re the ones with the body that grows the babies, the breasts that nurse them, and then the temperament to be with them full time. Feminism has denied all of this.
Then she makes a long, laundry list of how women have been sent back to the 50s:
“We send mothers to the 1950s when our governments cancel school without a plan to enable parents to work. Guess who quits their jobs to pick up the slack? Millions of American mothers.” Yay! As it should be and a lot of mothers have figured out how much more they love being home full time with their children rather than trying to do it all. They’ve also seen how much impact for good that it has had upon their children.
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we treat the need for affordable childcare like a personal problem, rather than the critical infrastructure that makes our economy work.” No, like I said, growing government will make it harder for those mothers who want to be home with their children, but Democrats don’t seem to understand this. In fact, they want women in the workforce, so they can have a larger tax base and take their children to be raised in government-run schools. They falsely believe that government raises children better than their own mothers! Insanity.
“We send mothers to the 1950s when husbands and male partners assume their wife can lead homeschooling during the pandemic, or take the kids to the doctor when they’re sick, or continually ignore the thousands of tasks it requires to take care of children.” Yeah, this is why it’s a blessing for mothers to be home full time. This is their role, so the fathers can focus on providing for their family. It’s God’s perfect plan!
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we equate ‘good mothers’ with martyrdom.” Hmm? Jesus told us that the greatest of all is the servant of all. Yes, we sacrifice for our children, but our children are our biggest blessings in life. I have four grown children now with 12 grandchildren, and they are definitely the gifts that keep on giving!
“We send mothers to the 1950s when our male-dominated corporations refuse to embrace flexible and remote work, leaving women to drop out of the workforce and men to fear asking for flexibility.” This is why it doesn’t make sense to hire mothers. Men are more reliable then women. Women weren’t created to be in the workforce. This is also why “equal pay” is a joke!
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we idolize the nuclear family at the expense of the broader village, leaving women to do the work of an entire community all by themselves.” No, mothers do the work of their own households, not the entire community. This is how it’s supposed to work. God calls women to be keepers at home and raise their own children, not the “broader village.”
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we refuse to fund paid maternity leave and instead treat giving birth like an economic inconvenience, rather than the literal creation of our economic future.” Feminism wants women to find their worth and value in a career and paycheck. As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to find our worth and value in Him. In doing so, we seek His will above all. Our goal in bearing and raising children is that our children grow up to love Him and His ways. We don’t view them as our economic future, but as the future godly remnant.
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we refuse to acknowledge the reality of systemic racism and its impact on all aspects of Black and Brown lives, from education to infant mortality to housing.” Hmm, they always seem to use racism in everything. I love what one black woman named Monique Duson tweeted about this: “To say Black folks NEED welfare, free education, etc. to thrive, underestimates the power of biblical principles: work, marriage, education (poverty reducers). The ‘good works’ of socialism keep people locked away on the government’s plantation of mental slavery.”
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we shame them for needing help—mental health, childcare support, cleaning services.” There is a lot less need for mental health help when mothers are home full time. Depression has been skyrocketing in women since they entered the workforce. Mothers at home are childcare support, and in being keepers at home, they are the cleaning services.
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we elect leaders who refer to them as ‘housewives.'” You see, feminism doesn’t value homemakers (housewives). They claim to give women freedom of choice, but it’s only freedom of choice when you choose their way. They denigrate homemakers every chance they get, as this article clearly shows.
“We send mothers to the 1950s when we refuse to change our culture, our policies and our narratives to reflect the lives modern families live today.” Modern families today are a mess. Children are being destroyed. When a culture forsakes biblical values, it is the beginning of the end of a nation, as we are witnessing.
“American mothers don’t want to live in the 1950s anymore.” Not true. There are many women who read my writings and would love to have lived in the 50s when homemakers and mothers at home were valued, divorce was rare, children were well loved, and daddies came home each night.
Feminism hasn’t helped women at all. God’s ways are perfect, women. Begin obeying Him. Step out in faith and trust Him. Your life will never be the same. Yes, there will be tribulations and trials as promised in this life, but the blessings will be abundant.
The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Titus 2:3-5
26 thoughts on “American Mothers are Trapped in the 1950s?”
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE YOUR ARTICLE ON 1950’S WOMAN. I TRY to express this ALL THE TIME. But, people don’t get it. My husband is one. I pray ALWAYS for the day my husband respects my wishes. We are stuck in this modern day crap. Sorry for my language, I just wish he and every woman would realize our God ordained place in this world. I to do truly believe that is why our children are so lost and we as woman have so much stress. We have taken the roles of men and woman in this “new age”! I do want to be a 1950’S HOUSEWIFE so bad it hurts. I DO WANT TO LIVE OUT GOD’S WAY FOR ME. BUT, how when my husband doesn’t agree?!
Proverbs 30 says, the leech has two daughters, Give and Give”. The author of the referenced article sounds like a leech to me.
The 1950s was already beyond the point of no return with feminism. If we went back to then we’d be right back where we are in a generation.
You know what would happen if every woman was forced back into the home instead of playing in mans world? Nothing negative, wages would increase and stabilize, productivity would go up, innovation and discover would come back to normal, burdensome rules and inane bureaucracy would subside, all manner of useless make work jobs would disappear, the government would lose a massive source of it’s tax revenue and control…. now what would happen if all women left the home to be in the man’s world?
NOTHING good happens from women leaving their God ordained roles, as you succinctly spelled out.
It took off in the 60s after the sexual revolution. The family was still intact in the 50s. People went to church on Sundays. Stores were closed on Sundays. Crime was low. Few babies were being slaughtered in their mothers womb. Adultery and fornication were considered wrong by everyone. Homosexuality was never talked about. No one had even heard about transgenders. No, it’s a WHOLE lot worse not.
As an afro-latina in America, I totally agree with this! And I hope that the world will get some sense and follow the laws of nature. Feminism was never meant for women to have more rights. It takes the rights of the natural, godly woman away!
I might laugh if it wasn’t so pathetic. How on earth does one stop a stubborn woman from getting a headache when she won’t stop ramming her head into a brick wall?
Hi what is your thoughts of speakers like Sadie Robertson speaking at difference churches. She is young and married and going to have a baby girl.
I will like your thoughts on Allyson Rowe speaking because she was single for some time but it was because that God wanted her to.
The authoress of the referenced article keeps harping on ‘affordable’ childcare. Affordable means low paid caregivers who need to be kept low paid!
In the North East these caregivers are Hispanic and Black.
Then she complains about systemic racism. Did she actually read what she wrote?
I worked when my oldest son was a baby and I hated it. Great work environment, private office, wonderful benefits but none of that compares to the freedom and joy of being the one who is with my kids all day. The day I left that job was one of the best days of my life and I will always be grateful to my husband for supporting my choice. There is so much more freedom in being home. You can rest when you want, pursue hobbies and create a cozy, peaceful home that brings joy to everybody. And you actually have the time and energy to build an amazing, loving relationship with your husband. God’s ways are absolutely the best!
I don’t believe any women should be speaking/teaching in the churches. Jen Wilkins, who many think of as a solid Bible teacher, just compared women shedding of blood each month to Christ’s shedding of blood! God gave men the ministry of teaching the Word in the churches. This is why He ordained men to be elders, not women. And if a woman has a question during the service, she is to ask her husband at home, not learn from a female preacher.
Kinda, the 60’s simply threw fuel on the fire. The 50’s were still going on the fumes of a bygone era, all the legal and ideological disease was already terminal in system. Everyone wants to look back to it as a great and magical time, it wasn’t, it only sticks out because of everything that survives from that eta due to the new technology. When in reality all you’re looking at is an advertisement from some company trying to sell you a product.
I once heard a feminist friend complain that the 40+ hour work week is a relic of the 1950s…and she’s not wrong entirely. It really only works because the person spending 40+ hours a week outside the home had a partner working just as hard and as many hours at home! Now everyone works, everyone is tired, and it’s all falling apart.
I think it will be interesting to see how it plays out in Western culture. In eastern Asian countries, where my family is from, mothers spend an average of 2 hours per week away from their children and in the US mothers average 24 hours per week away from their children. So sad!
Praise God!
It’s a real blessing to be an homemaker.
And Elizabeth Warren proved this in her book “The Two-Income Trap” (first edition) back before she became power hungry.
Nothing negative? Are you sure? If women “were forced” I honestly feel our country would he burned down! Those who believe women should be at home are not in the majority unfortunately and if some announcement such as that were made tomorrow I would honestly feel our country would be torn apart and burned down. You saw what happened with BLM, I feel like the reaction to this would be much worse.
We’re a whiny sex, but we’ve been getting unhappier:
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/may/18/womens-rights-happiness-wellbeing-gender-gap
I think the issue is that our expectations have changed. My son turned 6 the other day, but his party isn’t until tomorrow. His birthday treats were to get some chocolate and gum (which he shared freely with his siblings, no prompting from me); skip chores; have grilled cheese for lunch; and spend nap-and-rest time with me playing board games. He insisted that this was the best birthday ever and was bursting with happiness–no extravagances needed. Different attitude from the article author.
If you haven’t read “Created To Be His Helpmeet” by Debi Pearl that might really help you. She addresses your situation, as has Lori in some of her blogposts. I Peter 3:1-6 has been vital for me. If you are reverencing and being in subjection to your husband then I believe you are living out God’s way for you. You can still keep praying for your husband and pray God will make a way for you to be at home (I am assuming that is what you mean).
Who said anything about women being forced?
Debi Pearl’s book, “Created to Be His Helpmeet” might be helpful for you. She addresses your situation, as has Lori in some of her posts. I Peter 3:1-6 has been a lifeline for me. By being in subjection to your husband, reverencing him and having a joyful, thankful attitude, you are living out God’s way for you as you wait on God. Keep praying for God to make a way for you to be at home (you didn’t say specifically, but I am assuming you meant that you work outside the home). Galatians 6:9 9And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
It’s so funny that feminists hate the 1950s women.
1950s women were strong as iron. They had lived through the Great Depression — in many cases starving and homeless, or seeing their neighbors starving.
1950s women lived through World War 2 — the terror of living in a world dominated by Fascism. The agony of seeing brothers, fathers, and husbands killed and mutilated.
1950s women wanted only 1 thing: to get married, have a little house and children. To stay home and bake cookies and chat with the mothers next door. To have a strong manly husband come home every night from his workplace with a decent paycheck for her to use to feed the kids.
They understood that THIS was life. They had dreamed and hoped for it all those years. The life that their mothers and grandmothers had been hoping and dreaming of for thousands of years.
They knew that this was the ultimate luxury, the ultimate pleasure.
Then the feminists perverted and twisted this joy, and turned women into the miserable people they are today.
She’s replying to Ashleigh’s comment that says “what would happen if every woman was forced back into the home…”. I’m all for women being keepers at home but nothing should be forced. Even God doesn’t force our love or obedience because he is an amazing God. Forcing women to do anything at martial law sounds more like Muslim countries and Sharia law than Christianity and the Freedom our country stands for.
Do you not think that this would result in a national shortage of midwives and nurses. Care homes for residents with complex needs would also be chronically understaffed until more men could be recruited to these roles. As the only male trainee midwife in a class of 200, I realise that this could be a long process. As far as a need for paid maternity leave goes, not every new mother is with the child’s father for a whole range of reasons and why should those children who have already lost out whether permanently or temporarily on a second parent be further disadvantaged by being thrust into poverty. As a midwife in the UK I see many families who are struggling to keep a roof over their head and without maternity and paternity pay some families would split up under the strain
If taxes weren’t so high in order to give away “free” stuff, families would be able to afford what they need.
I totally agree with a number of points made here but particularly Bill’s. I am lucky in as much that I spent my very happy childhood in the Fifties having been born in 1948. My parents were quite well off and my mother was a housewife, for various medical reasons I was an only child. Christ was central to our lives and my mother believed, very much as Lori does, that a woman’s role was that of being a home maker and that she should be obedient to my father – she used to say to me “when your father is at work, I am in charge of you but when he is home, he is in charge of you and of me.” Was she unhappy? No. Did she hanker after an “alternative” lifestyle. Not at all. Our family was blessed with Christ’s love. My parents never argued and the home was always one of peace and good cheer. My mother met other mothers who would come around for tea, she was active in the church and my father appreciated and respected her. I accept that you can look back on the 1950s with nostalgia but I also think that roles were more defined and whilst my mother believed her role was to be a home maker my father believed his was to a be a breadwinner. He believed passionately that, as a man, he had to look after his wife and child. He was a rock. Unfortunately, one of the many downsides of Feminism is that it has made men more fleckless and irresponsible (they think they can abrogate responsibility). When I was a child words like “divorce” were alien to me and, indeed, it was only when I moved to London many years later did, I realise my upbringing had been very sheltered (but non-the-less blessed for all that).