Be it Resolved, traditional gender roles make for a happier marriage

The women’s liberation movement of the 1970's has long been championed as breaking down the barriers for women in the workplace. As women began to enter the workforce in droves, traditional gender roles in the home – one which saw the husband as the breadwinner and the wife as the homemaker – were torn down and replaced with a new, egalitarian vision for a modern day partnership defined by a two income household and an equal division of labour. And yet, there are some women who believe this transformation has yielded unhappy results. They argue that in order to be in a happy marriage, one must admit that men and women are not equal; they are different. When we deny our biological DNA and inherent gendered desires and capabilities we create mass confusion in the home, the resentful record keeping of household tasks, and a decrease in sexual desire. Men and women may be capable of doing many of the same things, but that doesn’t mean they want to. Modern feminists say the opposite is true: couples who share childcare responsibilities report greater relationship and sexual satisfaction. Women who find satisfaction and productivity through their work are better partners and parents. And spousal abuse is 300 percent higher in traditional marriages than in egalitarian ones. Marriage is not about prescribed roles for women and men. It’s about love, equality, and personal choice, and embracing these qualities will make everyone happier.

Arguing for the motion is  Suzanne Venker, radio host and author of The Flipside of Feminism: What Conservative Women Know – and Men Can't Say 

Arguing against the motion is Ellen Lamont, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Appalachian State University and author of The Mating Game: How Gender Still Shapes How We Date

The host of this podcast is Ricki Gurwitz

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Senior Producer: Ricki Gurwitz

Editor: Kieran Lynch