Does the devaluation of "women's roles" lead to misogyny?

Question

In 1948, Margaret Mead wrote that American society over-rewarded male positions. Female envy of that role, "reflects an overvaluation of men's achievments and a devaluation of the significance of the female role as wife and mother."

When the home is undervalued, "women will cease to enjoy being women, and men will cease to value women."

By this argument, one way to encourage misogyny is to undervalue housewives. Two questions come to mind:

1) Do women, on the whole, seem happier or more depressed since these changes of valuation? (If you agree that men's achievments in the workforce have been overvalued.)
2) Does the devaluation of "women's roles" lead to misogyny? Do men seem to respect women more or less when running the household is seen as unimportant?

(quotes are from Mead's "Male and Female", pg. 85)

EDIT to California: Er, that was sort of Mead's point... that if women agree that the household is meaningless, it will lead to unhappiness all around. She was actually defending the "traditional" roles and conjecturing what might happen in America if the tendency to value professional achievement above all else continues. You are certainly free to disagree, however, you should know that this was not one random quote, but a pretty good explanation of why she values "traditional" roles.

Answer 1

It makes sense to me.

In the-very far away past, the role of women at home was respected, actually it was a must for the survival of the members of the family/clan.
Also women used to die in childbirth quiet young and when not, she used to have much more children spending a lot of time pregnant or in lactation. Women felt needed and having a purpose in the life of the community. Also when agriculture emerged, women used to work the land.

Many things changed in the last centuries, women began to lose "status" as a "useful" member of society and yes, her role at home was seen as less. At the same time she was not allowed to study or have an independent life, yep an impasse for her.

Modern times has changed many things for women:

"...Profound change in biological reality has inevitably had consequences for psychic reality. And it has led to a massive effort to understand a new set of wishes, fears, and dreams in contemporary women." Arlene Richards (1996). Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 44:1227-1241

On the other hand from my personal point of view, misogynists have exited for centuries. As an example, remember that in Medieval times just for one or two votes, the Church decided that women had souls! Also the persecution of "witches" was because any woman that was intelligent or viewed as taking the job of a male, was seen as a witch. What the best thing as to kill all the ones that would not obey to the rules. (Interesting to read the History of Witchcraft, it is amazing!).

It is a power thing, especially emphasized by Christianity in the West. Yes it makes sense that the devaluation of her original role created less respect and this created more depression. At the end we all need to have a purpose in life, if not what is the point?

Edited to say: That it is a very important role to stay at home educating the children. But women that chose to do so, should feel happy and fulfilled with that role.

Good question!!

Answer 2

In the past, the man’s ability to support a family was, in my opinion, overvalued… above the woman who also made significant contributions to the family unit. In previous generations the only means of security open to women was finding a man to marry. Today women have a world of opportunities afforded to them that were not previously available. I think the majority of married men agree that their wife (working or not) has a significant and important role, and does not look down on but rather appreciates the role as stay-at-home parent.

However, some people value capitalism over all else… There was a question on this page a few days ago about divorce; asking if a women deserves 50% of the martial property in a divorce. One person made the analogy... if the marriage was a company who is worth (or deserves more) the CEO or the janitor. That has stuck with me because I didn’t think people still looked at women who decide to become stay-at-home parents as unimportant. Attitudes take many generations to change and I am optimistic that we are headed in the right direction.

Answer 3

This is an excellent question. Let me preface my answer by saying that the position of "breadwinner" of the household is over-rewarded in esteem and respect. Now, whether that position is still a male position is debatable. Though, the position of homemaker and caregiver to the children is still largely considered a female position.

1) I imagine that, when the position of breadwinner was exclusively male, women were very depressed, especially since "housewife" was and is under-valued in general. As the workforce began to diversify and more women were pursuing careers, the glass ceiling was at its lowest, which I'm sure also created depression in women. Today, as we continue to apply steady pressure to that glass ceiling, we steadily relieve the depression that seems almost obligatory in this day. However, that depression is not reducing, but merely changing sources. Now, women are made to feel guilty for pursuing careers instead of staying home with the children. It seems that, in our society, women are obligated to be depressed and guilt-ridden over something.

2) The devaluation of "women's roles" in the late 40s and early 50s gave misogyny a strong footing for the century to come. (Remember that, in centuries passed, misogyny existed in the view that women were property. Now that women were no longer property, old misogyny had to give way to the new.) Now, as our positions in the workforce advance, images of the sexy woman lawyer or the sultry and spicy woman detective flood our televisions, magazines, and movie theaters, thereby placing the value of a working woman on her beauty and undermining the actual contributions women make to the workforce. This keeps misogyny fed and watered, and steadily growing. It seems that women are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Answer 4

Horse before the cart.

Misogyny devalues the traditional female roles.

Nursing, Teaching & any child care, etc..

All underpaid because you used to be able to get smart women to do these jobs for peanuts.


Oh and housework has never been a valued job, because let's face it cleaning doesn't take a genius or even require English. You can dress it up with Martha Stewert, but scrubbing a toliet is still scrubbing a toilet.

Answer 5

No, it was not meant to be veiwed as discrimanation against woman. But the Passage it meaning that God abandoned them because of their pervers ways and sins. The meaning of the Natural Use of a Woman in the bible means that we where created to become a wife and help mate to the Male Gender and to mother offspring. This Passage is saying that Woman gave that Natural Function up to become Lesbians and other Pervers things like Prostitutes and Whores. Romans 1:26 (Amplified Version) For This Reason God gave them over and abandoned them to vile affections and degrading passions. For their women exchanged their Natural functions for an unnatural and abnormal one. 1:27And the men also turned from natural relations with women and were set ablazed(consumed) with lust for on another --- men committing shameful acts with men suffering in their qwn bodies and personalities the inevitable consequences and penalty of their wrong doing and going astray, which was [their] fitting retribution.

Answer 6

There has indeed been some resentment from men directed at housewives. But it's not just a problem for housewives. It's never good for any woman to be hated just for being a woman. Everyone needs to respect everyone else's chosen roles.

Answer 7

Margaret Mead made many pronouncements that have not been substantiated. Karl Marx also made many pronouncements that have not been substantiated. So did Freud. Many people become famous for making unsubstantiated pronouncements because they have shock value or appeal to some emotion or opinion that has no basis in fact. Women have not been devalued. They devalued themselves by abandoning their traditional power base to try their hand in male roles. Their attempts to enter male society have created major medical, emotional, and psychological problems for them because they are out of their element. Women have always had power - much more power than men. They are born with the ability and knowledge to use that power. Everything men do, all of their accomplishments, are to attract females. Women give that up when they devalue themselves by competing with men. Running a household is does not devalue anyone. It is a necessity and often much more difficult and time-consuming than an 8 - 5 job. Men are never turned off by a woman who takes care of her home and family, but they are often turned off by some hyper, money-grubbing female "professional".

Answer 8

Actually, I believe that "set roles" is what causes depression in women.

Back in the 50's women were required to be married, raise children, take care of the house, nothing more. That was her only job in this world.

On the other hand, years of torture, abuse by her male caregivers, or male counterparts is what may cause misandry in the end. She's lost faith in males because everyone she knew in her life behaved as though they disrespected/hated her.

Still, on the other hand, the men that were taught that women have to take care of them, and allow themselves to be put in "helpless positions"... When women stand up for themselves, they're seen by these men as "b*tches, men-haters, lesbians" by those who are already misogynists. Women didn't cause that. Men that behave that way were raised to hate/disrespect women.

Neither have intentionally caused the other to hate either gender as a whole. It's not a personal hatred (except for misandry, i suppose, in many cases.)

Just as "racism" is a learned/damaged behavior, so is misogny and misandry.
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Answer 9

To tell you the truth my value as a wife and mother is not reflected upon some survey; it's all about what I feel; personally I feel highly valued as a wife and mother.
Edit: Any more talk about surveys and numbers we'll never value our ownselves; we are humans not numbers on a sheet of paper that's why I don't put much stock into such things; besides that survey only covers a certain number of people.
Does this evaluation lead to misogyny? No.
Edit Malcolm: Women in general are unhappy these days, present company withstanding.

Answer 10

1) Do women, on the whole, seem happier or more depressed since these changes of valuation? (If you agree that men's achievements in the workforce have been overvalued.)

Women thought happiness is come from work so they took it on. and then got overwhelmed by being a mother and bread winner at same time. One might feel proud of doing both job. but she is secretly hating it. she is resenting the fact that she have to work so hard.

Women as a child and as species, have certain wants that's differ from man. Women want to be seduced ( any female of any species) want to have adventure, loved, wooed, feel taking cared of. Disney princess story is good example of that. When women took on a role of working class she might fulfil her needs but not her wants.

men in other hand need competition. ( that's why we watch sports) working man are happy man if he get's competition out of it.

I'm not saying all women should not work. I think people like Hirary Clinton is ment to be a jugurnat.

but women must understand their individual wants before they followed the usall heard of being a professional women.

2.

forget what men thinks. if women are happy, the home is happy. and we are happy too. men wants womens to be happy. if we find out wearing 4 pair of socks at night and drinking coffee before bed will make their wives happy we probably do that too.

women must take ownership and responsibility over their own happiness. It's up to them and they can only make them happy. Men will be assist as possible. but if women can't even figure women out, don't expect men to figure them selves and women out too.

Men loves nice home, good honest home cook meal. too. I do not thing men respect women less but he might get used to having it.( just like anytthing over time)