This article looks at a significant change in couple families — the increasingly common situation in which the woman is the only or the main breadwinner. Rebecca Meisenbach’s important research explores the different ways in which couples cope with this, and in particular its effects on the women themselves. Using semi-structured interviews with professional women in opposite-sex relationships, she uncovers the often conflicting emotions experienced by these women in situations where their roles are the reverse of the expected norm. While the research was carried out on women in the USA, the emergence of the female breadwinner within a partnership is increasingly evident in the UK. While the focus is on changes within families, all students will benefit from reading this article as it raises important issues of gender.
When the male loses his job and struggles to find new employment, many heterosexual couples find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Some couples deliberately pursue situations in which the female is financially supporting the household. Media headlines have speculated on how the relationship survives this role reversal, but the impact extends even further. The enactment of the breadwinner role can affect the formation of identities, as well as communication and decision-making at the family, workplace and government policy levels.
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