My soon-to-be ex-fiancé was not alone with his expectations about what roles women should play in this 1970's world. For eons women had few options in life; then doors started opening. Just a few at first, then along came a war and that deafening creaking sound you heard in the distance was a million doors opening all at once. On the other side of those doors were much-needed money, a taste of independence, and unlimited choices.
My mother and three of her twenty-something sisters found themselves caught in the fast-moving current of change. When the war ended in 1945, three of the McCloud sisters were already married, and because their lifestyles now required it, they continued to work outside of the home...as well as inside. But it was confusing. With them working all day, who was going to clean house, iron, do laundry, cook and...oh my gosh...what about the children? Not a problem. They would do it, because everyone knows the total woman can juggle it all and still do the meow-meow with her husband whenever he's in the mood for a little pussy cat.
Google "The Ramblings of an Aging Baby Boomer" to read more.
Oh my gosh, I remember that book The Total Woman! Wasn't it awful? I was an activist in the women's movement at the time, and read it to see what the "opposition" was saying. It had gotten a lot of notice in the press. So glad glad glad those days are over. These days aren't perfect but man oh man (pun intended), we have come a long way.
ReplyDeleteWe're not in Kansas anymore, Kathleen. My ex-fiance married within a year of our breakup, and now 40 years later I discover he left her for the big-breasted bimbo at the office who is almost 20 years younger. Yep! The Total Woman keeps her man alright!!
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