David Hoffman | What They Told Women To Do With "Free Hands" In 1960 @DavidHoffmanFilmmaker | Uploaded September 2024 | Updated October 2024, 4 hours ago.
This film was produced at a time when there was very little if any modern women's movement and when most American women became housewives and mothers. I found the language and the idea presented here to be historically relevant as I believe this would be left out by many women today.
I am aware, from comments that have been posted on my other similar videos, that some men and some women wish to go back to this time which seems to me still quite possible, if one chooses.
In 1960, many American women were expected to be housewives and mothers, which was seen as the traditional role for women at the time. This was before the modern American women's movement, which gained significant momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the rise of second-wave feminism.
The feelings of women about their roles as housewives were mixed, depending on their individual circumstances, upbringing, and social environment. Many women felt a sense of fulfillment in raising their children and maintaining their homes, as these roles were often closely tied to societal values of the time. But some women felt stifled by the lack of opportunities for personal and professional development.
As this clip presents, the media, advertisements, and cultural narratives reinforced the idea that a woman's primary goal was to marry, have children, and maintain a home. Popular television shows and advertisements often glorified the ideal of the "happy housewife."
Despite this, some women began to express dissatisfaction. Betty Friedan's book, The Feminine Mystique (published in 1963), famously highlighted the "problem that has no name," where many women felt unfulfilled by the domestic sphere alone, even though they had what was culturally considered a "perfect life."
The role of a housewife typically involved a wide range of domestic duties, often centered around maintaining the home and caring for the family:
Housewives were responsible for managing all aspects of the home, including cooking, cleaning, and maintaining an orderly household.
Cooking: Preparing meals for the family, often from scratch, as convenience foods were less common.
Housewives were expected to keep the home clean and tidy, which involved daily chores like sweeping, mopping, dusting, laundry, and ironing.
Caring for the children was a major part of a housewife’s duties, including feeding, bathing, dressing, and entertaining them, as well as overseeing their education and social development.
Women were also responsible for managing the family’s social calendar, entertaining guests, and participating in community or church activities.
It was expected that wives would emotionally and practically support their husbands, who were seen as the primary breadwinners.
The expectation was that women would dedicate themselves to the domestic realm while men worked outside the home. However, the seeds of change were already being planted as more women pursued higher education, and the availability of labor-saving household technologies (like washing machines and vacuum cleaners) began to free up some of their time.
The dissatisfaction that simmered during this period contributed to the rise of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s, as women began to push for greater equality in both the public and private spheres.
This film was produced at a time when there was very little if any modern women's movement and when most American women became housewives and mothers. I found the language and the idea presented here to be historically relevant as I believe this would be left out by many women today.
I am aware, from comments that have been posted on my other similar videos, that some men and some women wish to go back to this time which seems to me still quite possible, if one chooses.
In 1960, many American women were expected to be housewives and mothers, which was seen as the traditional role for women at the time. This was before the modern American women's movement, which gained significant momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s with the rise of second-wave feminism.
The feelings of women about their roles as housewives were mixed, depending on their individual circumstances, upbringing, and social environment. Many women felt a sense of fulfillment in raising their children and maintaining their homes, as these roles were often closely tied to societal values of the time. But some women felt stifled by the lack of opportunities for personal and professional development.
As this clip presents, the media, advertisements, and cultural narratives reinforced the idea that a woman's primary goal was to marry, have children, and maintain a home. Popular television shows and advertisements often glorified the ideal of the "happy housewife."
Despite this, some women began to express dissatisfaction. Betty Friedan's book, The Feminine Mystique (published in 1963), famously highlighted the "problem that has no name," where many women felt unfulfilled by the domestic sphere alone, even though they had what was culturally considered a "perfect life."
The role of a housewife typically involved a wide range of domestic duties, often centered around maintaining the home and caring for the family:
Housewives were responsible for managing all aspects of the home, including cooking, cleaning, and maintaining an orderly household.
Cooking: Preparing meals for the family, often from scratch, as convenience foods were less common.
Housewives were expected to keep the home clean and tidy, which involved daily chores like sweeping, mopping, dusting, laundry, and ironing.
Caring for the children was a major part of a housewife’s duties, including feeding, bathing, dressing, and entertaining them, as well as overseeing their education and social development.
Women were also responsible for managing the family’s social calendar, entertaining guests, and participating in community or church activities.
It was expected that wives would emotionally and practically support their husbands, who were seen as the primary breadwinners.
The expectation was that women would dedicate themselves to the domestic realm while men worked outside the home. However, the seeds of change were already being planted as more women pursued higher education, and the availability of labor-saving household technologies (like washing machines and vacuum cleaners) began to free up some of their time.
The dissatisfaction that simmered during this period contributed to the rise of the feminist movement in the 1960s and 1970s, as women began to push for greater equality in both the public and private spheres.
