Women just can’t seem to get a break as they find themselves in hot water media again. The Pew Research Center barely released a recent study indicating 40% women are becoming the primary breadwinners of their families, before media airwaves were dueling over meaning and consequence.
Here are some of the highlights as reported in the media about the Pew report Breadwinner Moms based on US census data.
- Since 1960, there’s been an 11% increase in women providing the primary or sole income in 40% of households with children under the age of 18
- In households with children, 63% are single mothers
- More women than men are earning college degrees
- In marriages with working women, 37% earn more than their husbands
- Higher earning married mothers increase median family income by $10,000, but only by $2,000 if the father is the higher income earner.
- Of survey responders (demographics unspecified), 75% thought it was harder to raise children when mothers worked and approximately 50% preferred mothers being at home for children.
To give you a sense of this newest gender controversy, watch these three media news clips that aired in response to the Pew report – two from Fox News and one from MSNBC. (very entertaining)
Male conservative news commentators interpret the implications of Breadwinner Moms as undermining American society. In strong rebuttal are conservative and liberal female news commentators, who are insightful, focus on the complexity of the issues and lead with factual research rather than opinion.
The first is from Lou Dobbs of Fox News with the male perspective.
Second is Fox News clashing commentator Megyn Kelly.
Third is Melissa Perry-Harris from MSNBC News.
http://youtu.be/_LY_07YR3Ek
Sources
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-breadwinner-moms-20130529,0,7203365.story
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/politics/2013/05/erick-erickson-fox-business-women/65733/
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I’m not even sure whether the nuclear family model, as it has evolved nowadays, is the best one for raising children.
They say that “it takes a village to raise a child” — so, how about extended families, or more communal models, that provide support on more levels?
I agree with you Helene. The nuclear family model has been promoted as the ideal while in reality it’s also fragile if one or both parents can no longer be supportive. Part of our culture has to realize that some women will need to work outside the home during a child’s developmental years. Extended families have been good backup where they exist, but we need to do more in terms of a communal and/or community system that gives children wider support and a safety net.