Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Forbes.com and women with careers

I was going to publish a link to a Forbes.com article posted today about why men shouldn't marry women with careers. However, since (I assume) the article was mentioned on the Rush Limbaugh radio program and Fark.com (there's a combination for you), Forbes.com appears to have removed it from their site. Here is Rush Limbaugh's characterization of the article from his website :

"These are the reasons you should not marry a career woman: One, you're less likely to get married to her. She's not interested in it. Number two, if you do marry, you are more likely to get divorced if you marry a career woman. Number three, she is more likely to cheat on you if you marry a career woman. Number four, you are much less likely to have kids. That would be in my plus column. Number five, if you do have kids, your wife is more likely to be unhappy. Number six, your house will be dirtier. This is in Forbes magazine! This is the subject of a study done in 2005 by two University of Michigan scientists, concluding that if your wife has a job earning more than $15 an hour which is roughly 30 grand a year, she'll do two hours less housework a week. Number seven. If you marry a career woman, you'll be unhappy if she makes more than you do. And number eight, she'll be unhappy if she makes more than you do. And number nine, you're more likely to get sick if you marry a career woman."

Well, I don't know if the study's findings are true or not, but anecdotally, I would have to agree. Proving causality here is a different matter. I think it is likely that women who pursue careers are less interested in settling down with a man or less likely to be committed to one man from the get-go, rather than becoming that way because they pursue careers. They are generally less likely to feel that they need a husband or a child to have a full life. I am thankful nonetheless that LJ stays at home to teach and be there for the kids. I think we, as a family, will all be better off for it.

UPDATED:
Forbes.com has re-posted the article, but this time with a rebuttal, in Point/Counterpoint fashion. Cowards.

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