Why is woman asked to compromise.......scientific reasons to this, if any....

I guess I have been quite pedantic here. When you said "only to be a homemaker", I took it to mean solely, or exclusively ... no if's, no but's. That is men, or women, marrying their partners with the expectations of them living solely as homemakers and not pursuing a career at all, not now, not ever (i.e. being homemakers permanently as you said).


Also, when I said "my generation", I should have preceded it with "generally" i.e. usually, commonly, but not true 100% of the time. An Afghan man in the mountains, though of my generation, would probably forbid his wife to work (he'll more than likely forbid her to go out of the house), as opposed to a Singaporean man of the same generation.

Now, I don't know if these Americans decided when they married that the women will not work, not now, not ever, no matter what. If they did, and are at peace with it, then who am I, a believer of personal choice and freedom, to say otherwise, although I may not agree with their choice.

And should I be surprised that there are conservative communities in the US? Other than the East Coast and the West Coast, and maybe cities like Minneapolis, Americans are generally viewed as being conservative and parochial (although they are warm, generous and friendly bunch overall) - witness the huge debate on abortion rights for women, and the growth of fundamental Christian groups like Focus on the Family.

 

deleted due to double posting.........

 

Meena,

I cannot comment on your situation fairly as I do not have all the details.

But this much I can say from my own experience - I know of internationally mobile families i.e. those that move every few years or so. Generally, one partner gives up all career ambitions (predominantly women) in order to support the career of the other. And I get impatient when some of these women say they have no choice but to move. They do have the choice. If they feel they are so unhappy with the situation, they can say no to the move. An Afghan girl forced to marry a man decades older than her has no choice. Not these women!

I too have relocated a couple of times with my husband (maybe less than you, I don't know), and my husband had turned down a couple of postings in other countries because we felt that they will not benefit me at all. Our decision to move is a joint one, and we made sure his company knew that and the "sacrifices" I was making in my career when we moved (never mind that it also got to do with me wanting to experience living in different countries). And companies are increasingly going the extra mile in making the "trailing" spouses feel at home at the new locations. And some even have career counselling for trailing spouses.

Anyway, what has this or the fact that "There are conservative communities in the US where the traditional stereotypes still hold." got to do with your question?