Family and society have come across many changes during our history. Every change that occurred has affected what many people would call the "Benchmark Family" (Scanzoni #7). This is considered the perfect family or the norm. The Family would consist of the husband that is the breadwinner and the wife who is responsible for raising the children, and taking care of the home (Scanzoni #4). Society has changed dramatically from the 19th century. These changes in turn have affected Family. Many factors through the years have been responsible for these changes. Feminism is a tremendous factor that is still having its effect on family and society today. Another factor is employment. Women in the workplace have changed family structure over the years. Sex is also a factor that changed family and society in many ways. I will explore these factors and show what effect they have on family.

Feminism impacted family in a tremendous way. In the "Jacksonian Era" the notion was that men had divine right to rule over women (Scanzoni #104). People

Employment has also changed family and their beliefs. Traditionally men were the sole provider in the family. During World War II, men were fighting for their country. If the men were fighting, then who was producing supplies and ammunition for the war? Women were given these responsibilities during the war. It was ok for them to work, because it was for their country. Women were becoming more accepted in the work place (Scanzoni #132). This changed the family structure, because now if both husband and wife were working, the whole concept of the benchmark family changes. The family is bringing in more money to support it, but is also taking away from the raising of the children. Before, if both parents had to work for survival, other family members could watch their children. But, now it was more common that those family members would be working as well (Scanzoni#114).

Then the start of Feminism occurred, women began to say "God sees the genders as equals" according to the Bible (Scanzoni#107). Women started to raise questions about different issues in regards to equal treatment. This is when family change started. Men were happy with societies take on women. Men did not want any change to occur. Men felt everything was the way it was suppose to be. Women started to become more involved in other aspects of life besides homemaking. Women wanted what was initialed to them, which was equality. Men, I feel became anxious about women having more rights, starting to work, and making their own money (Scanzoni #111). Women were now working before marriage, and starting to develop their own sense of self worth. Women started to realize that they had their own choices and did not have to live the way their mothers' did. Married women were now working, making their own money and feeling good about their selves (Scanzoni #114). Men felt they were losing control. This began to start major conflicts within the family. Women wanted their equal rights in the family and outside the home. Women now felt they did not need support from the man, because of career opportunities out there. They began to have choices, which were not available in the past. Divorce started to rise because of these changes (Scanzoni #114). Men where not excepting the new woman, and refused to let them be considered equal, which in turn broke up families. These factors contributed to the development of single parent families and different types of lifestyles.

Employment affected other aspects of family over time. Women were working before marriage, and waiting longer to marry. In the past marriage was top priority, now it was not as important, as it was during earlier times. Women were working, and feeling more independent. They did not want to get married and have children so young as in the past. Women now had a choice

Some topics in this essay:
Scanzoni#114 Employment, Scanzoni#107 Women, Family Scanzoni, Jacksonian Era, United People, Conservative Critics, War II, AIDS Cancer, FAMILY SOCIETY, Bible Scanzoni, family society, changed family, families past, single parent families, family women, women started, single parent, benchmark family, becoming accepted, parent families, 19th century, sex becoming accepted, changed family structure,