American Women and the Changing Roles in the Family

Most American women today have roles outside the home.

Women's roles in America have changed radically over the years and these changes have altered family life. The stereotype of a man going out to work while his wife stays home to look after their children is no longer the dominant way of life for most Americans. In fact, as Herbert S. Klein of Stanford University observes, "The American family is now profoundly different from what it had been in the recorded past."

Fertility

One significant factor in changing women's roles in the family is the number of children women have. In colonial times, the average woman gave birth to seven children, although it was highly unlikely that all of these children would survive into adulthood. Death rates amongst children have plummeted since then, but so too have birth rates, and as of 2011, the estimated fertility rate has dropped to just 2.06 children per woman. Having fewer children has freed women to be able to pursue employment and other opportunities outside the home.

Employment

In the past, many women worked as homemakers, but today a majority of women take employment outside the home. Department of Labor statistics for 2009 revealed that 72 million of the 122 million women in the United States -- 59.2 percent -- were either employed or looking for work, making up 46.8 percent of the workforce. Administration and secretarial work, nursing, teaching and working as a cashier were the roles in which women were most commonly found. Women's roles in the workforce have helped them support their families and contributes to their wellbeing. However, women's wages continue to lag behind those of men, and women are more likely to live in poverty than men.

Education

Historically, many women did not receive much education or were encouraged to take up "vocational" courses that prepared them for a home life, according to Jennifer C. Madigan of San Jose University. However, since the passing of the Women's Educational Equity Act, girls were able to study math, science and other subjects previously dominated by boys. Today 72 percent of women enroll in college, compared to 66 percent of men, and a report for the White House Council on Women and Girls estimates that by 2018 women will make up almost 60 percent of college enrollments. Higher educational achievements are likely to be a factor in delaying women's marriages and decisions about when, or if, to have children.

Differences Among Women

The wide variety of cultural backgrounds present in the United States today means it is difficult to generalize "American" women. Fertility rates, for example, differ markedly between ethic groups. In 2000, when average fertility across the nation stood at around two children per woman, non-Hispanic white women averaged 1.8, while Hispanic women averaged 2.5. Birth rates were particularly high among Cuban-American women, notes Herbert S. Klein of Stanford University's Hoover Institution.

References

• "Hoover Digest"; The Changing American Family; Herbert Klein; 2003
• CIA World Factbook: United States
• Department of Labor: Quick Stats on Women Workers
• "Women in America"; Department of Commerce; March 2011
• "Advances in Gender and Education"; A Historical Perspective; Jennifer C. Madigan; 2009
• "Women in America"; Department of Commerce; March 2011