American Women

In this paper, the changing role of women was explored. The major focus was positioned on the changing roles of women in the American family. Public opinion was examined and analyzed to see if America was really "one nation" when it came to the subject of women working with children and a husband. It was of particular interest to see if Americans believed that the family suffered due to the women 's new position in society, and just how big this divide between the traditional family of a mother staying at home with her children and the modern family of a women working equally as a hard and as long as her husband.

The subject matter of this paper was first discussed in Alan Wolfe 's book, "One Nation, After All." Alan Wolfe devoted this book
In no way do I buy into the great culture war, proclaimed by some, but I don 't think the dynamics of the American people public opinion can be so easily categorized. In focusing on the changing role of women in the American family, I set out as Wolfe did to see how divided Americans were on issues of women and the family. In an article, by Heidi L. Brennan called, "In Many Voices: Mothers And Families Challenge The Culture", the author makes a call to families to find the needed "cultural and political leadership to reclaim the rights and responsibilities of parent." (Brennan, 1). She sees America in a cultural divide and thinks parents need to once again be in charge of the family. In an article, "Beyond the Child Care Debate", by Heidi Brennan and Cathy Myers, it is discussed that for the past thirty years the American family has seen changes that have "rocked" the American family. (Brennan and Meyers, 1) The authors speak on behalf of the American public and claim women don 't want more child care options they want a way to stay at home with the children themselves. As seen by Katherine Mullin 's in Wolfe 's book who without any hesitation or doubt chooses and wants to work, staying home is not what every mother wants. When asked if she considers staying at home responds, "No. Absolutely not, No," (Wolfe qt. Mullins, 90). And she is not alone. In an article called, "Understanding Employment Statistics: What Do They Really Mean?", adapted from a book by Linda Burton, Janet Dittmer, and Cheri Loveless, the percentage of married women who hold a job and whose youngest child is between ages six and eighteen rose from 49.2% in 1970 to 74.7% in 1990. For mothers with children under six years old, the increase was even more striking, rising from 30.3% in 1970 to 58.4% in 1990. More women are working now because economically it 's getting harder