The “Other” 1950s: Single Women, Sexuality, & Unwed Mothers
1950s Marriage Mania By 1951 = 69% of all US women are married 1 in 3 wed by 19 By 1957 = 14 million girls engaged by 17
Single Women in the 1950s “Lone Female” studied by writers & psychiatrists Hostility & suspicion directed towards single women & working women 1955 = Over 300 pro-marriage books published for women
Home Economics Textbook, 1956 Have dinner ready: Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal—on time. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home! Minimize the noise: At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of washer, dryer, dishwasher or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet. Have them properly dressed to give their greetings. Make him comfortable: Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or suggest he lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow…speak in a low soothing and pleasant voice.
Beauty Standards Products marketed to “keep your husband” 1956 = Average weight for women is 15 pounds lighter than 1926 average weight 1956 = $1.3 billion spent on cosmetics, $660 million on beauty treatments, $400 million on soap and electric grooming, $65 million on “reducing”
Urban Hotels for Single Women High rise, all-girl hotels & boarding houses NYC’s Barbizon Hotel for Women used by movie stars Grace Kelly, Liza Minnelli, writers Gael Greene, Sylvia Plath Gael Greene, New York Post, 1958, claimed hotels evoked fears of spinsterhood
Portrayals of Single Women in Media Portrayed as unfulfilled background characters Doris Day = Working Single Women in films emphasized double standards about dating & sex Etiquette Books taught girls how to avoid sex
Single Pregnancy: Abortion, Adoption, & Race 1944 – 1955 = 80% increase in # of white babies up for adoption All abortion illegal in 1950s: 800 – 1,000 women died each year Hospital abortion committee required 2 letters diagnosing a woman as psychologically impaired Options = Quick marriage, illegal/unsafe abortion, “Home for Wayward Girls” before adoption Race determined options of a single mother
Sexuality in the 1950s Dr. Alfred Kinsey’s Studies on Sex in Marriage, 1948 & 1953 Surveys uncovered pre-marital sex, masturbation, affairs, & homosexuality Attitudes towards marital sex no longer about procreation Promoted female sexuality as normal
Giving Birth in the 1950s Ob/Gyn almost always male No lamaze, few midwives Women had little knowledge of anesthesia, c-sections, hysterectomies Ob/Gyns hostile to breastfeeding; 25% breastfeed from 1940 - 1970
Unhappiness of 1950s Housewives 51 – 56 hours of weekly housekeeping (unpaid labor) Alcoholism, domestic violence ignored by police “Mother’s Little Helper” used for housework 1/4 - 1/3 of couples married in 1950s would eventually divorce Strict gender roles pressured women to stay out of the workforce
The Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan, 1963 Exposed the plight of housewives, “The Problem With No Name” Sold more than 1 million copies Re-launched the Feminist Movement