American society has made substantial progress in achieving gender equality in many aspects of social life. However, these efforts are still insufficient as females remain a vulnerable group due to the existing regulations, policies, and social norms. U.S. women face numerous challenges in such spheres as marriage and divorce (Yefet, 2020). Exit from marriage is associated with diverse issues that are deeply rooted in the patriarchal mindsets of Americans. One of the issues to be addressed related to marriage and divorce is enhancing gender equality in marriage exit through introducing new policies and incentives.
It is necessary to state that the relationships between men and women within their marriage have changed dramatically since the nineteenth and even twentieth centuries. At that, these shifts tend to mainly focus on declarative and conceptual rather than practical aspects. Thus, it is declared and safeguarded that women and men are equal in their roles within their married lives. Women may be employed rather than fully concentrate on household chores and rearing children. However, in practice, families, where spouses are employed and get equal pay, have to pay higher taxes compared to families where a partner (usually the woman) receives a lower salary (Yefet, 2020). Families with unequal income are taxed differently, which encourages families to accept the offered pattern. A woman may work, but she chooses a lower payment and house-related responsibilities.
This universally accepted type of marriage makes females vulnerable economically, which has a tremendous impact on their divorce options. In addition to the overall negative attitude towards divorced women in society, women encounter economic and legal barriers (Yefet, 2020). As mentioned above, men have higher incomes, and their employment and income remain unchanged after divorce. Nevertheless, females prioritize their families, so they have lower-incomes, becoming economically dependent on their husbands. Yefet (2020) emphasizes that females’ domestic labor is not regarded as work worth payment and is regarded as a revenue-generating factor and is excluded from marriage contracts. Moreover, marriage contracts are still negatively seen in American society. At that, women have to complete various tasks to ensure that their husbands can focus on their employment and increase their revenues. More importantly, this economic disparity results in another critical issue for women. Although custody is now proclaimed to be associated with gender-free decision-making, mothers become disadvantaged. Due to their economic dependence, their husbands may force them to avoid divorce in fear of losing children as they will not be able to provide for them.
As for legislative initiatives, it is important to change taxation models, making them equal for different types of families, disregarding income distribution. The decisions related to balancing work and family should not be affected by taxation laws. It is also important to make sure that marriage contracts are positively viewed, and spouses are encouraged to use this option to secure their rights in case of divorce. Domestic labor should become included as a revenue-generating factor, which would make women’s input seen more fairly. The offered project encompasses the implementation of a program for high-school students aimed at discussing marriage and divorce gender equality. This project will explore students’ attitudes towards divorce and gender roles in marriage before and after the project. This project will contribute to shifting Americans’ perspectives regarding gender equity in marriage and divorce.
In conclusion, it is necessary to note that to address this problem, numerous changes should be implemented in several areas, including but not confined to legislation and education. Of course, educational facilities should promote true gender equality, making domestic labor equally favored by people. Household responsibilities and child-rearing should not be assigned to women as men can and should contribute to this aspect of family management as equal partners. It is critical to eliminate gender prejudice in the United States to make sure that gender issues do not negatively affect the American economy.
Reference
Yefet, K. C. (2020). Divorce as a substantive gender-equality right. Journal of Constitutional Law, 22(2), 455–527.