Pitfalls of the Feminist Ideology -- Part 2

Part 2

Feminism has also had a profound effect on women’s ideas of marriage and family. It was previously and, according to a study conducted by Yale University, is still subconsciously accepted that men and women have designated roles. As stated in the last paragraph, the second wave of feminism disregarded the idea of gender roles, which mirrored the older perspective on roles within marriage. Men worked outside the home as breadwinners and women functioned as help-meets by working within the home. Women saw themselves in relationship to their husbands and children.

Feminism has encouraged women to view themselves, not as members of the family unit, but as individuals. This has caused women to focus more on their personal fulfillment. Many women have sought this fulfillment in careers outside the home. As a result, more American families have both parents working outside the home, which keeps both mother and father from spending much time with their children.

Parental involvement can have a profound effect on childhood and adolescent behavior. An article in the February 2008 edition of The Brown University Child and Adolescent Behavior Letter stated that familial involvement “reduced the risk of problem behaviors from early to late adolescence… [and] led to significant reductions in youth arrest rates throughout adolescence, as well as the likelihood of a youth being diagnosed with a substance use disorder by the age of 18.” This makes logical sense. If a child realizes that his parents are monitoring his actions and are prepared to provide and carry out consequences for those actions, he will likely think twice before engaging in objectionable behaviors. While it may not be the only contributing factor, feminism has contributed to a shift of American ideas on marriage and, in so doing, the family.

- Danielle Martinez