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I believe that in America we have firmly constructed rigid gender classifications based on post-war nuclear family structure. Men are assumed to be bigger, stronger, breadwinners, take out the trash, lift the heavy things, fix the lawnmower, less concerned about appearance/clothing, encouraged to participate in rough/competitive activities, and anything that falls into this arena is considered masculine, associated with male gendered behavior. Women are assumed to be smaller, weaker, child-rearing caregivers, food preparers, clean the house, more concerned about appearance/clothing, and prefer gentler, softer clothing/activities, anything that falls under that umbrella is considered feminine, associated with female gendered behavior.
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I would suggest that this model never did exist in post war America except on TV (think
Father Knows Best and
Leave It To Beaver). ALL the women (old enough) I knew as a kid worked during WWII. Where do you think Rosie the Riveter came from? During the war women did every job that men did before the war. It was the patriotic thing to do. The war effort was vital. Women earned a paycheck and took care of the house and kids. After the war many were not going to back to the housewife only. This time frame was the beginning of the civil rights movement for both women and blacks. 'Women's lib' started in this time. The GI Bill happened and men coming home from the war went to college, not work, paid for by the government. That is how my Dad got his education. My parents bought their first house by way of the GI Bill. My mother worked on occasion and her mother always worked.
Any way.......this so called 'american dream' with a stay at home Mom, a working Dad and 2.5 children during the 50's was not the reality in most of the country. TV is where that dream came from.