The traditional male role in 1950s America was the epitome of masculinity. After a strenuous day at work, a typical man of the era would come home knowing the comforting fact that his wife had already cleaned the house, cooked dinner, taken care of the children, created a relaxing environment, made herself look presentable, and prepared herself mentally for the high expectations of the master of the house-her husband. A housekeeping article for the women in the 1950s explained the imperative duties for a woman, summing it all up nicely with the statement, “[a] good wife always knows her place” (Housekeeping Monthly). However, with the evolution of female gender roles came the modification of those of American males, ultimately redefining the alpha-male of yesteryear. Although they were both raised in American society, men of modern times, when compared to men of the 1950s, differ greatly not only in their attitudes towards women, but their general lifestyles at work and home.
One of the fundamental differences between American males and their predecessors is their general behavior toward women. Men from the 1950s treated women as society labeled them-nurturing mothers, submissive wives, and diligent homemakers. These men acted not necessarily from prejudice, but merely tradition; growing up with such subtly institutionalized sexism in society, giving sole respect and power to a woman would be the breaking of a long-held social norm. Therefore while many still treated women with love and respect, men never truly revered them with complete equality. The majority of men today, however, have abandoned their elders' behaviors toward women and formed their own. In the 57 years that have passed since the 50s, women have not only obtained respect, but also power. With multi-billion dollar female entrepreneurs like Oprah Winfrey, and female presidential candidates like Hilary Clinton, the social norms men followed in the past have changed considerably; if a present day male even attempted to ask a potential female president to finish his laundry, the disdainful comments of observers would be enough to scar him for life (Noon).
Another key aspect that affects the continuously changing male social norms in America is the workplace. In the early 1950s life was fairly stern; women were obligated to set their priorities toward the home, while men were the industrious workers, providing sustenance for the entire family. If a man was well educated, he was basically guaranteed a job decent enough to support his family. In recent decades, women have grown to play a dominant role in the American workplace as well, thus creating a whole new level of competition for men. While the female employment rate in 1950 was only 30%, the trend drastically increased to 75% by 2000 (Kutscher; US Census). With over 100 million women now in the contemporary workplace, men can no longer obtain careers with the ease their male forefathers faced. While the men of the 1950s expected control over the work force, men of today not only have to step up their level of performance to compete with women, but also have to accept the fact that they may very well be working for a woman. The traditional male power is now distributed between both genders, and although it may not be entirely equal, it still affects how men must cope with the newfound standard of modern working.
Men of the 1950s seldom cooked. Men of the 1950s seldom cleaned. Men of the 1950s rarely worried about their offspring, and men of the 1950s lived the home lives that most modern men dream of. Masters of their houses, these men had lives of luxury, relying on their obedient wives to manage the chaos of home. After a long day at work, a wife would have created a cozy environment of equilibrium for her hardworking husband. Raising a family was effortless in these times; childcare was the wife's domain. For the majority of present day men, however, this account of the past seems more like a work of fiction. Encouraged to show their sensitive side, men have now entered egalitarian relationships, putting their patriarchal ancestor's habits to rest. When it comes to cleaning, modern men know so much they can recite the product names, from anti-bacteria to exfoliation, Mr. Clean to the Swifter jingle. Men now also play active roles in the lives of their children. When researching responsible fathering, doctors at the University of Minnesota best summarize the shift in work/home social norms when they state that, “[t]hese studies indicate that fathers are a significant source of primary child care when mothers are working outside the home” (Doherty par. 36). Active and equal parenting is practiced every day, and is simply one more feature to the evolutionary process that is the male home life in modern America.
Living as the same gender in the same country, one would think that the American males of the 1950s and males of today would have similar lifestyles. Instead each of these genres of men contain divergent values and standards of living-A simplistic masculine lifestyle of a post WWII businessman versus the hectic life of a cleaning, cooking, working, father and husband. Though the 1950s lifestyle may seem glamorous to a modern male, one must realize that every gift has its price; is a simple life of spousal obedience worth the disproportionate amount of gender-based power? Or is a slightly more taxing life worth the strong relationships one can build with his spouse and children? With either decision one thing is for certain-American social norms are continuously changing. From the dominant master of the house to the equalitarian father and husband, these developing norms of society will ultimately shape the future, thus constructing the men and women of tomorrow.
