“Men in Charge” collage by Sally Edelstein
Republican activist Phyllis Schlafly has some advise for all the single ladies out there.
Quit yer whining about the gender pay gap!
All you husband hunting gals listen up – accepting a lower paycheck is a small price to pay for finding a better breadwinner husband.
Give Me That Old Time Anti Feminism
Vintage Advertisement Honeywell Heaters 1951
Yes marriage advise straight from the same Phyllis Schlafly, Nemesis of NOW, veteran of the anti feminist movement from the 1970’s who successfully mobilized opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment.
This relic of the gender wars recently penned a piece for the Christian Post making the case that the Gender Pay Gap ultimately helps women.
Unlike other Republicans at least she doesn’t dispute the fact of a gender pay gap.
In fact she thinks it’s a good idea.
A bigger pay gap between men and women is necessary she claims, so women won’t have as hard a time finding a boyfriend or husband.
“The best way to improve economic prospects for women is to improve job prospects for the men in their lives even if that means increasing the so-called pay gap, she declares”
Feather Your Nest
Vintage illustration from 1960 Ad
“While women prefer to Have a higher earning partner, men generally prefer to Be the higher earning partner in a relationship,” she wrote.
“Suppose the pay gap between men and women were magically eliminated. If that happened simple arithmetic suggests that half of women would be unable to find what they regard as a suitable mate.”
“If a higher earning man is not available, many women are more likely not to marry at all,” we are warned.
Adjusting wages to help with husband hunting instead of encouraging women to be financially independent makes no cents!
Happily Married
Vintage ad Simtex Cloths
The 1950s notion of marriage with man as breadwinner as the template for the ideal family seems to be the model that Schlafly still hold as the gold standard.
Lets nestle back to that comfortable cold war era of containment where once upon a time patriarchy ruled and the American housewife was perceived as the most envied gal in the world.
Though times have changed for sure, like a toxic overspill some remnants of that mind-set obviously persist.
The Weaker Sex
Vintage Ad Lee Mens Clothes 1947
For the up to date Mid Century American homemaker and helpmate, pretty and perky dressed in a festive apron and a fresh coat of pretty in pink lipstick it was a life of comfort and convenience, flameless, frostfree ,touch-tone, push button ease.
With everything so automatic no wonder she looked to a Man to be in control. Despite this life of ease, she seemed often to be a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued by Dudley Do Right.
Who’s in the Drivers Seat?
Vintage ad Mercury Cars 1950
For a successful marriage it was important that the proper Cold war Corporate Housewife understand the tensions of her husband’s job as breadwinner.
When it came to who was in the driver’s seat, there was no question who was in charge.
This advertisement for Mercury Automobiles from 1950 offered up perfect post war matrimonial advise:
”Dollars to donuts the man of the house takes the wheel especially if it’s a Mercury. “
“It gives his ego a gentle boost…it feeds his need for a sense of power…it lets him know he’s in control!”
“It’s just one of the little things that make marriage easy to live with”
Vintage Ad Saginaw Power Steering 1953
They even offer a Marriage Quiz?
“Do you ever question your husband’s business judgement they ask? ( if he insists on a Mercury you Know how good his judgement is)”
“Are you sure your husband loves you? It’s a pretty good sign he does , if your next car is a Mercury You’ll know he wants to be proud of the way you look (dreamy, in a Mercury) he wants you to take it easy and he wants you to feel secure)”
In the retro world of Republicans, women still take a back seat .Without any safety precautions its a dangerous ride indeed. Does it matter who’s at the wheel…you betchum.
Note: Though the post “Prominent Republican: Women Need to Be Paid Less so They Can Find Good Husbands” first appeared in ThinkProgress, the advise originally appeared in women’s magazines in the 1930s-1950’s.
© Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream, 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Sally Edelstein and Envisioning The American Dream with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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