Not worse today, but now women can choose to live independently.
In 1955, women did not have that option.

Research.

If you are a young woman or man asking this question, do the research. The world was a different place in 1955.

An average woman in 1955 could not drive, did not have a college degree, could not get a job beyond retail/minimum wage, would not be approved for a credit card...was not even allowed to open a bank account or rent an apartment without a male co-signer.

How is she getting a divorce?

In 1955, women had no other options.

Could not get a good job. Women did not go to college as a norm. If you were the rare woman who did, you would not be hired, because during the interview they could ask if you were married, and then deduce "you would probably leave to have babies." (This literally happened to me as a woman in the 80s.)

Could not get a credit card in their own name until 1975.

Could not get a mortgage on a home, unless cosigned by a man (husband or father) until the late 1970s.

Women in 1955 had no choice - you were either married, or a ward of your father.

Anonymous wrote:No, women just have more options. Remember it wasn’t until the 70s that a woman could even open a bank account in her own name. Men used to have us financially, emotionally, socially, and physically trapped.

I don’t think anyone forgot that in the span of four posts on this thread.

No, women just have more options. Remember it wasn’t until the 70s that a woman could even open a bank account in her own name. Men used to have us financially, emotionally, socially, and physically trapped.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re kidding me. We KNOW women were trapped in marriages. They didn’t have the ability to get a credit card or even checking account without a husband. Forget earning power to survive alone. I’m flabbergasted how you don’t know recent history.

I’m not trying to be pedantic, but you cannot believe that 47% of marriages were between women and horrific abusers who beat them and they couldn’t leave. I’m trying to understand realistically if people were generally better spouses to each other or if half of marriages were as bad as they are today, but women could not leave them.

Yes, the same number of marriages were as bad then as they are today, but a woman without a husband was severely handicapped in society, so women were unhappy and stuck it out. You know this, why are you pretending you don’t?

As with most things, we just expect more and better over time. You think revolutionary war era women or men were self-reflexively envisioning themselves as self-actualized? They were surviving. Marriage was a mode of mutual aid survival. We have romanticized so many aspects of life that were raw and brutal in even recent memory.

Anonymous wrote:In 1955, 2.3% of marriages ended in divorce. Today it is between 35-50%. That’s huge! Are marriages a lot worse today or are men worse husbands/women worse wives? Were 47.7% of people just absolutely depressed and miserable in their marriages in the 50s and we don’t know about it?

Is this a joke? You know the actual answer (minimal women’s rights), yet you post this garbage question to rile everyone up. Lame.

Women here are much worse. All I have to do is visit a foreign country for a week or two and I see how huge the difference is.

Anonymous wrote:You’re kidding me. We KNOW women were trapped in marriages. They didn’t have the ability to get a credit card or even checking account without a husband. Forget earning power to survive alone. I’m flabbergasted how you don’t know recent history.

I’m not trying to be pedantic, but you cannot believe that 47% of marriages were between women and horrific abusers who beat them and they couldn’t leave. I’m trying to understand realistically if people were generally better spouses to each other or if half of marriages were as bad as they are today, but women could not leave them.

You’re kidding me. We KNOW women were trapped in marriages. They didn’t have the ability to get a credit card or even checking account without a husband. Forget earning power to survive alone. I’m flabbergasted how you don’t know recent history.

You're ignorant of basic history, OP. Women did not work in the 50s. They were financially dependent on their husbands. Of course they couldn't leave, unless they were afraid of being beaten to death! That's the 2% you see - women who didn't fear social repercussions and were desperate to leave. The other women had lower standards than today, because they had to make it work. Cheating and "light" abuse were not reasons to divorce back then.

Now that most married women work, they have the financial ability to not need a husband... unless they want to. So if said husband doesn't please them, out he goes.

Divorce is way "easier" now. It is more acceptable, more women can support themselves, there are more resources available, etc.

Marriage used to be about survival. Not anymore. 40 years ago most women had few options if they were single. Thank goodness times have changes!

In 1955, 2.3% of marriages ended in divorce. Today it is between 35-50%. That’s huge! Are marriages a lot worse today or are men worse husbands/women worse wives? Were 47.7% of people just absolutely depressed and miserable in their marriages in the 50s and we don’t know about it?