What happens when wives make more than their husbands?
Over the last 25 years, there has been an astounding surge in the proportion of wives who make more than their husbands.
Statistics show that something like 40% of working wives in the U.S. and an estimated 30% in Canada already earn more than their male partners, a shift that's projected to continue through the next decade, claims Liza Mundy in her book The Richer Sex: How the new majority of female breadwinners is transforming sex, love and family.
The next generation of women, Mundy calls them 'breadwomen', will easily do better than their husbands since they already hold more university degrees and managerial jobs and also work in more knowledge-based settings.
That's assuming they can or want to find a partner, of course. Mundy feels women regularly lie about their salary and profession on online dating sites, lest they intimidate potential mates.
She tells lots of stories of couples who are still adjusting: men who retaliate against more successful wives, or leave marriages because they fear they have nothing to bring to it; and women who think less of their partners when they pull ahead.
The good news, Mundy maintains,is that that a new definition of masculinity is starting to evolve as men play a bigger role on the domestic front and adjust to a different balance from the families in which they grew up.
Are you the breadwoman in your house? Has that required some adjustments to the 'who does what' discussions?
By Gordon Powers, MSN Money
Posted by: Mr. Negative | Apr 30, 2021 1:25:42 PM
The answer to the question is nothing.......this is not an issue but a blessing. Some "men" would feel like less of a man. Me personally, i would brag and tell my friends how much money my wife makes. Don't forget, it doesn't just benefit your wife. This will help increase wealth in the whole family network.
Plus, these articles are in some way horse poo! These are topics we use to get away from really what is happening in the world. I noticed, that now that the world can't brag about how great things are and the wealth, we have alot more articles that are meaning less and made up.
Posted by: Mr. Negative | Apr 30, 2021 1:28:31 PM
Oh, and don't forget, women do run the world, we are just the front men!
Posted by: SP | May 1, 2021 8:23:15 AM
Nope.
Just out of curiosity how much higher is the stability or rate of marriages in this 'utopian' new world in America? How well is it working out for the US economy or middle class birthrates?
Perhaps what is a more salient question is: "what happens when large numbers of potentially violent young men realize that they have been shut out of advancement in society due more to their financial origins more than their capabilities?"
I went to univeristy with and work occasionally with many 'high achieving' women and I am sorry to say that there is a large number of them that are there more as a result of the feminist movement than as a result of their own inherent abilities. That said, there are many competent women out there, they are just sadly matched by incompetent but"'highly qualified" women.
I am not saying that it isn't possible for there to be happy marriages where the wives earn more than their partners or that it isn't possible for some form of society to remain stable with that structure. I am saying however I have seen more unhappy marriages and more historical unrest when the traditional structures are ignored.
I have also seen how the math and science standards have been pushed down in my children's and nieces/nephew's schools to allow for greater levels of 'success'. Don't take my word for it though, Take a Grade 13 Calculus exam from 30 years ago and compare it to the 'equivalent' Grade 12 Calculus test now. Oh goody first place ribbons for everybody and top jobs for every woman !
Posted by: RD | May 1, 2021 9:16:26 AM
SP - I could not agree more, I see the same thing at work where the standards have been lowered to let some women match the true high human capital women. It's like a reverse descrimination, which does not makes sense as descrimination of any kind is wrong regardless of if it's against women or men. Things should be a meritocracy where the smartest and highest potential people advance, doesn't matter if they are men, women or green little aliens! I don't personally care if my wife would make more than me as long as it is because she is capable not because it's politically correct to promote more women.
Posted by: Glenn | May 1, 2021 12:15:04 PM
The presumptions here are ridiculous. Aside from some stories of broken marriages and men who feel less than a man due to a paycheck, the inference of pay for ladies having a negative impact is ridiculous.
First: no real study was made and one or two anecdotes do not identify a trend nor even something significant.
Second: 30% and 40% are NOT majority numbers! The title of the book suggests that the number of higher earning wives is higher than the number of higher earning men. Sorry but 30% and 40% are significantly less than half.
Third: The assertion that women "will easily do better" in the future is absurd in the extreme. Vast majority of the highest income earners are currently men and nothing is indicating differently for the near future. Universities enrolments are about even in men/women. Where is the crystal ball that indicates which jobs men/women will select in future and which jobs will still exist? Or which new jobs have yet to be invented?
I could go on but I must really point out that: My wife earns more than me and has for the last 10 years - we have been married for 25 years.... and I was VERY happy to see her paycheck as it meant better vacations for both of us! Anyone who cannot see the sharing of pays for married folks has issues way beyond merely paycheck envy.
Posted by: Linda R | May 1, 2021 12:41:01 PM
For what it's worth, there are also a lot of men in managerial positions that have no business being there, as they really don't have the skills necessary. I also think that the issue in women's higher salary affecting the marriage perhaps has as much to do with how much time the woman is able to spend on her spouse/family as to the actual dollar amount involved. Men earning high salaries also can negatively affect their families for the same reason - most really well-paying jobs involve a decent amount of time away from home & family.
Posted by: Heather | May 5, 2021 1:46:18 PM
I'm so freakin' tired of how men ARE SO HURT by being beat by a woman. yeah, SO WHAT A CHICK DOES SOMETHING BETTER THAN YOU? would it be any different from a man? people always do something better than someone else SO QUIT BITCHING ABOUT YOUR HURT FEELINGS AND GROW SOME BALLS! here's a news flash: WE ARE ALL EQUAL AS HUMANS. male, female, it does not matter!
Posted by: Dave | May 7, 2021 3:29:32 PM
Can someone please find Heather her meds?
Excusing her full caps rant, the fact she is unable to understand that males and females are not, never have been and never will be equal is perhaps the first indicator that help is required.
Highly paid wives tend to view lower income husbands with contempt and treat them accordingly. Historically the reverse has not been the case.
Being that as it may, it would appear that the goal this article helped Liza secure a few more speaking gigs to plug more of this twaddle. Good news for her husband, every book sold helps her children have a better financial life than the children of a sole income family ! AND keeps her occupied and away from him and the kids.