| Abstract: | The current revolution in sex roles is not simply the result of feminist ideology; it is a consequence of the demographic changes that have occurred during this century. Women seek work outside the home in response to a situation created, in part, by the decline in birth and mortality rates. Engaging in productive labor is not, however, a new activity for married women. In fact, the male "breadwinner" system of the last century has been a historical aberration. Women have traditionally participated in production. Feminism clearly provides an ideological basis for the new egalitarianism in marriage, but it is not possible to meaningfully examine the changing sex roles during this century without also examing the concurrent demographic trends. |
