Analysis of a scholarly source
STAY-AT-HOME FATHERS AND BREADWINNING MOTHERS: Gender, Couple Dynamics, and Social Change.
In Noelle Chesley’s study titled, STAY-AT-HOME FATHERS AND BREADWINNING MOTHERS: Gender, Couple Dynamics, and Social Change, 21 couples were phone interviewed by Chesley and her team. With the study, Chesley ultimate goal was to find if stay-at-home dads and breadwinning mothers have any correlations to gender inequalities. Chesley’s finding from the 21 couples from the southern part of Wisconsin seem to have demonstrated that there is in fact correlations that both tremendously affect men and women. Ultimately Chelsey finds that these types of arrangements could be beneficial to change the inequalities found.
With their new roles, the 21 stay-at-home fathers that were interviewed found relief in their arrangements. A majority find that they were able to grow better bonds with their children at home. These fathers also were able to work on skills that could be related to child care, for example time management and being able to solve arguments. With their wives, some stay-at-home fathers were able to connect as well. Helping with the care of the home took a load of mothers who felt like they had to do it all. However, the fathers that didn’t help as much found their wives to be stressed. With the care of the children, some mothers also had trouble with jealousy. Fathers would spent all day with their children while mothers would work long hours and not be able to see their kids at all. Mothers who earned less money and who belonged to the lower class seem to be members of this group. A number of fathers would also be jealous of mothers for not being able to play the provider role. Nevertheless, a majority of fathers reported to that staying at home overall was beneficial for them and their families.
The breadwinning mothers was another aspect that Chelsey also focused on in her study. Gender inequalities were seen with a few of these women. Chelsey does point out “Intensive mothering”(645). This is an ideology is used to describe mothers who would try and focus as much time as possible to their kids as they could. Women breadwinners in this case, would try and follow these norms despite being breadwinners. Some women would work less hours and less days to spend with their families. This ideology was not prevalent with all mothers, just with the upper and middle classes. Some women also were caught within the “modified traditionalism” ideology (646). This way of thinking lessens the female breadwinner in status, compared to men who get praised for being breadwinners. Child care is also seen as non equal, in favor for the men. Overall her findings conclude that mixed feelings were felt for a variety of mothers with these inequalities. Nevertheless, Chelsey did find that similar to their husbands, these women were able to benefit in acquiring certain skills that help them be better members of the workforce. With more time at work, women find that they begin to empathize with men in their fields. Doing so lessens the gender inequalities that can happen at work. These mothers also find encouragement to follow their career goals. A majority also found relief with the stay-at-home fathers helping around the house. Mothers felt less stress, and a number of couples reported having better relationships because of this.
Overall, Chelsey’s study brings to light that not all stay-at-home father couples are alike yet they are not all that different. Data collected does prove that gender inequalities do exist between these individuals. Mothers are sometimes stressed due being the breadwinners and not spending time with their families. And fathers are sometimes jealous of mothers for being the breadwinners. Yet, Chelsey proposes that these types of arrangements can be beneficial to stopping all these inequalities in the long run. Fathers and mothers alike find that they attain new skills that help them be better. It also gives them new perspectives to consider, something that due to certain norms they couldn't before. Fathers can be more nurturing and breadwinning mothers can be ambitious in the workplace. Chelsey promotes these types of arrangements and stresses that in partaking in one, can help “undo gender” and help “promote greater gender equality”(663). However, she point out that further studies are essential.
I enjoyed analyzing this article. It is something that I never thought about in detail.I agreed with Chelsey in the need for further research based on race. I am sure that not all races and not all locations in the world would be similar. I also agreed with the idea that these types of arrangements could help change the way we view gender. In my opinion it gives the other side a glimpse at a new point of view. However I’m not sure every single person will want to do it.
One thing that i disagree with would have to be the fact that children were not at all interviewed. I thinking children would have given a great insight into their parent’s relationship even more.
A question that a thinking person who cares about justice on the basis of gender would be, What implications do other types of relationships, same sex couples go through? Would it be parallel to these finding or completely different? It would be my wild guess that the differences that set these relationships apart would be the differences that make these relationships less likely to suffer the same way as heterosexual couples.
CHESLEY, NOELLE. “STAY-AT-HOME FATHERS AND BREADWINNING MOTHERS: Gender, Couple Dynamics, and Social Change”. Gender and Society 25.5 (2011): 642–664. Web.