What is a family? A couple of decades ago, the word would elicit pictures of the traditional family, consisting of the breadwinning father and stay-at-home mother. Nowadays however, the traditional family has been on the decline, as more Americans tend to postpone marriage, divorce more, or remain unmarried than throughout history. Some view the shift as evidence for the “moral decline” of American society. However, changes in attitudes toward the traditional family does not necessarily reflect moral degradation, but rather can be attributed to a paradigm shift among the baby boomers of the 1960s and 1970s. The decline of marriage and increase in divorce rates happened because of the women’s movement, evolution of gender roles, and wider acceptance of pre-marital intercourse.
In 1950, married couples occupied 78% of households, and 43% of households were traditional families consisting of married couples with children, according to the Census Bureau (Tavernise). However, in 2010, married couples occupied less than half of all American households and only 25% of households were traditional families (Tavernise). Nowadays, nearly 50% of American marriages end in divorce, while in 1960, the nations divorce rate was 26% (Colin). The changes in marriage and divorce demographics that occurred in a span of a couple of decades can be attributed to many intertwined social, cultural, and economic changes.
The women’s movement provided an impetus for people to change their view on marriage. During World War II, millions of women joined the workforce to make up for the lack of male workers (women’s roles). After the war, women were encouraged to return to their traditional role as housewives, and many did. By 1950 the number of workingwomen started to increase again, and by 1956, 35% of all adult women were part of the labor force (women’s roles). Since women had the opportunity to work, many realized that they were unhappy with their secondhand status compared to men and that they wanted to be a part of the workforce instead of just limiting themselves to their traditional role. During the 1960s, books such as The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan (1963) and Born Female: The High Cost of Keeping Woman Down by Caroline Bird (1968) articulated the sense of dissatisfaction women felt and rose in popularity (Marriage). The books raised awareness about the plight of women and their role in society and helped many women express their unhappiness with their position as a housewife. Consciousness-raising groups started in colleges and cities, allowing women to find like-minded individuals who did not think that getting married and raising children was the only natural and right option for an adult female (Marriage). Instead many people began to believe that women should work instead of just rearing children.
The feminist movement encouraged women to move away from their traditional roles and challenge gender stereotypes by working outside the home. Jobs brought women financial freedom, and also opened new windows of opportunity for higher education and in professions such as the Army and Navy (Colin). The women’s rights movement also encouraged women to challenge inequality in the workplace and elsewhere and to realize that they had options in life besides for getting married and having children. Many feminists started to view housework as demeaning and challenged the traditional picture of a subservient wife in favor of women who thought about “who they are” (Colin). During the 1960s, the marriage rates for women fell, and in the 1970s, when the women’s rights movement gained even more prominence, marriage rates fell even more dramatically (marriage). The number of adults living alone rose during the time of the feminist movement, with 4.3% more men living alone in 1980 than in 1960 and 7.3% more women living alone in 1980 than in 1960 (family). By 1980, the majority of mothers were working, driven in part by their desire for greater freedom and for a stable career, but also because of their newfound economic independence; women had to pay for housing, education, health care, and other necessities more often than in previous decades where they depended on their husbands to provide for their needs (Colin). The shift in traditional gender roles caused by the feminist movement helps explain the decrease in marriage rates.
Changes in divorce culture also reflected changes in the status of women. Due in part because of the feminist movement, courts accepted mental cruelty as grounds for divorce and tended to award custody of children to mothers (family). No-fault divorce laws passed in the 1970s made it easier for couples that were not getting along to end their marriages quickly and inexpensively (family). Economic independence made it easier for women to divorce their husbands, as they no longer had to depend on their husbands to provide for them financially. Throughout previous eras, divorces were viewed as shameful, but starting in the late 1960s, they become more socially acceptable. Since it became easier and more widely acceptable for couples to divorce, a paradigm shift occurred.
Pre-marital sex became more socially acceptable starting in the 1960s. Previous generations viewed out of wedlock sex as scandalous, as the only proper sexual partner was a spouse. As birth control became more convenient and effective, including the contraceptive pill that was introduced in 1960, people started to be freer about sex (marriage). Media became more graphic in their sexual portrayals, no longer only supporting the traditional view of marital sex (marriage). Since people could find sexual fulfillment outside of marriage, it became easier for them to postpone marriages in pursuit of careers.
The paradigm shift in the 1960s and 1970s revolutionized the tradition view of family and marriage. However, the shift is far from over. One can only speculate on what the most common type of family will be in the coming decades. The number of single parents is higher than throughout history, and some people believe that the traditional family will never become prevalent in American society again because of the changes in the past couple of decades. The industrialized nature of American society will force future generations to pursue a stable career and establish themselves before they get married. Others argue that the commitment necessary for a married relationship cannot be found in other avenues, and the institution of marriage will be revitalized as individuals realize that superficial connections to their colleagues and acquaintances cannot compare to a committed relationship. However, it has also became more widely acceptable for unwed couples to live together, accruing many of the benefits usually only present in a married relationship without the long-term commitment of a married relationship, and more unmarried couples decide to live together than throughout history.
Along with shifts in relationships between a man and a woman, gay marriage and gay rights has become am important source of contention in recent years. In many previous decades, the idea of two men or two women getting married seemed appalling to many Americans. However, in recent years, people have become more widely accepting of different forms of sexuality and view sexual orientation as a matter of individual choice, rather than something dictated by a community standard. Increased gay rights awareness campaigns and the pertinence of the issue makes it an issue that cannot be ignored, and homosexual relationships will continue to shape the fabric of the American family and effect marriage and divorce.
(To be continued)
Works Cited
“Family Life.” American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
“Future of Marriage.” CQ Researcher. Ed. Thomas J. Colin. N.p., 7 May 2004. Web.
“Marriage and Family.” American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 7: 1960-1969. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
Tavernise, Sabrina. “Married Couples Are No Longer a Majority, Census Finds.” New York Times, 26 May 2011. Web.
“Women’s Roles in the 1950s.” American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 6: 1950-1959. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 278-280. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
