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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think we’ve lost the concept of men being men and women being women, and society is worse off for it?

294 replies

ThatNimbleKhakiAnt · 08/08/2025 18:33

Traditional gender roles may not have been perfect but at least they provided structure. Now everything is blurred and instead of progress, we just have confusion. Are relationships stronger? Are people happier? I don’t think so. It feels like in trying to fix things, we’ve just made everything messier.

AIBU to think we’ve lost something valuable?

OP posts:
Tablesandchairs23 · 09/08/2025 04:50

I'm glad times have moved on. Does your husband give you housekeeping money and chain you to the sink.

Morningsleepin · 09/08/2025 04:32

hehehesorry · 09/08/2025 02:36

Men still think this bar the "stick to your traditional roles", they just voice it less. Men don't listen to female professionals unless backed into it by necessity, I doubt many would hire female manual labour and I don't think many would take advice from women.

I agree with the OP to a degree. Marital rape and being able to own a bank account are obviously essential, and I think men powertripping led to women wanting more rights so they got what they deserved, but I think the world is taking advantage of equality and giving us similar problems in that women and girls feel compelled to sexualise themselves and put themselves in unfulfilling/mentally damaging situations/relationships even when there isn't a man doing it. There's also the abuse of female labour now we need two per household working to sustain a family while the woman does womanwork regardless if she doesn't want her child covered in food for school and laundry piling up.

And the really interesting thing is that so many anglophones think that you have such a superior advanced culture and everywhere else abuses and represses women. (Smugly written from a country with a female president who also also a Nobel prize in ecology

Morningsleepin · 09/08/2025 04:27

I just spent a lovely day with my friend's son who has been an absolute gem in a difficult time. He wears lipstick and false eyelashes.

Catladywithoutacat · 09/08/2025 03:59

Yes agree

ForeverScout · 09/08/2025 03:51

Huh. What traditional gender roles would those be, then, OP? DH grew up in a very traditional, matriarchal culture, but I bet that's not what you're meaning.

MidnightScroller · 09/08/2025 03:44

I think supposedly “traditional roles” were discriminatory and didn’t represent much of human history where male hunter gatherers did their share of child rearing taking young boys out with them as a community group rather than expecting mum to raise all the children single handedly.

Recent equality progress has helped almost everyone apart from small minded domineering white men which is why we see so many of them desperately trying to assert themselves now.
The trans debacle was a blip that needed to be tackled to go back to acceptance of a minority group rather than promotion of a mental health disorder to exploit young and vulnerable people.

PollyBell · 09/08/2025 03:17

hehehesorry · 09/08/2025 02:36

Men still think this bar the "stick to your traditional roles", they just voice it less. Men don't listen to female professionals unless backed into it by necessity, I doubt many would hire female manual labour and I don't think many would take advice from women.

I agree with the OP to a degree. Marital rape and being able to own a bank account are obviously essential, and I think men powertripping led to women wanting more rights so they got what they deserved, but I think the world is taking advantage of equality and giving us similar problems in that women and girls feel compelled to sexualise themselves and put themselves in unfulfilling/mentally damaging situations/relationships even when there isn't a man doing it. There's also the abuse of female labour now we need two per household working to sustain a family while the woman does womanwork regardless if she doesn't want her child covered in food for school and laundry piling up.

Why should both adults not financially contribute to a household? And if woman work and so all the household things they have a problem with their partner so quit wringing and do something about it

How many woman think woman, either mothers or grandmothers only role in life is to have children and run a household? Man can think what they want woman do not have to go along with it

The more I see on here the more it am starting to think woman are not as intelligent as men, why? Because they let men and society think for them it is in their control to do what they want they chose not too

hehehesorry · 09/08/2025 02:36

LordEmsworth · 08/08/2025 18:40

I do hope I am not sitting here, seeing a WOMAN expressing an opinion.

Shut up. No one wants to hear what a woman thinks 🙄Stick to your traditional gender role.

Men still think this bar the "stick to your traditional roles", they just voice it less. Men don't listen to female professionals unless backed into it by necessity, I doubt many would hire female manual labour and I don't think many would take advice from women.

I agree with the OP to a degree. Marital rape and being able to own a bank account are obviously essential, and I think men powertripping led to women wanting more rights so they got what they deserved, but I think the world is taking advantage of equality and giving us similar problems in that women and girls feel compelled to sexualise themselves and put themselves in unfulfilling/mentally damaging situations/relationships even when there isn't a man doing it. There's also the abuse of female labour now we need two per household working to sustain a family while the woman does womanwork regardless if she doesn't want her child covered in food for school and laundry piling up.

SawPalmettoPrincess · 09/08/2025 02:16

I’m a woman, 45 and I absolutely agree.
I like the fact my husband is masculine. We share chores, but he mows the lawn, puts up pictures, takes out the bins, cleans the toilet. Meanwhile I cook, iron, vacuum etc

I like to ensure I’m in makeup daily. My hair is nice and I’m dressed in something attractive. He dresses smart, shirt, tie, ensures he’s clean and fresh. I’ve never said no to hanky panky - it makes me happy to make him happy and he enjoys making me happy too.

He always drives. I like to read my books in the car on journeys. I dislike driving.

I do the shopping, but he will escort me to lift anything heavy and carry the bags.

His job is traditionally male. My job is traditionally female. Although rather fortunately we earn about the same, him marginally more.

So we actively try to live traditional roles. If I could afford to give up work and be a housewife, in lipstick and a pinafore, I would in a heartbeat. I very much enjoy traditional roles as does my husband and it works. We’ve been together since we were 15. Although I think it spoils life a little to have to get up and go to work, when I could be making myself pretty, going to the gym, cleaning the house and cooking a wonderful dinner each evening for him to come home to.

The idea of equality of the sex’s was noble, but these days, it just means everyone has to struggle a bit more. I’d rather go back to the 50’s.

I don’t look down on anyone who chooses a different way of life. Each to their own of course, but I can’t imagine not embracing my femininity as a woman and I would find it very unattractive for my husband to be less masculine.

recipientofraspberries · 09/08/2025 01:34

Progress can create a feeling of confusion at times. That's because progress requires things to be new for a while. That's not a bad thing, actually.

Ashley911 · 09/08/2025 01:13

MuckFusk · 09/08/2025 00:38

No, that isn't why she shouldn't be expected to provide. It's because she has a mental health problem. If you're ill and unable to work you should not be expected to be a provider. The answer is better social support for people who are ill/disabled. This situation really has nothing to do with gender roles, it's about the way people with mental health problems are harshly judged and their illnesses are not considered legitimate. I'm assuming, of course, that her depression is severe enough that she can't manage to work. Plenty of ignorant people don't even believe mental illness can prevent you from working.

I feel that she is depressed because she doesn't have upfront nursery fees and she is feeling guilty about leaving her baby with a stranger during work hours, and no one wants to give her a job anyway. Anyway I agree with you. I was out of work for a while and people were judgmental even though I had PTSD culminating in a psychotic break. Mental health matters.

XWKD · 09/08/2025 00:41

Why would anyone be better off with traditional gender roles?

MuckFusk · 09/08/2025 00:38

Ashley911 · 08/08/2025 21:00

Because her husband should be able to handle it... she shouldn't be in that provider role

No, that isn't why she shouldn't be expected to provide. It's because she has a mental health problem. If you're ill and unable to work you should not be expected to be a provider. The answer is better social support for people who are ill/disabled. This situation really has nothing to do with gender roles, it's about the way people with mental health problems are harshly judged and their illnesses are not considered legitimate. I'm assuming, of course, that her depression is severe enough that she can't manage to work. Plenty of ignorant people don't even believe mental illness can prevent you from working.

MuckFusk · 09/08/2025 00:24

Iwasphotoframed · 08/08/2025 20:40

Opinions are not all equally valid. Hitler’s opinions were absolute anathema to a functioning healthy, fair society for example as is the patriarchy in its many incarnations. A child sometimes cannot decern between opinions adults can and should.

Agree. Opinions have to have a solid, reasonable basis to be considered valid. If somebody wants her/his opinion to be considered valid s/he should be prepared to defend it with sound reasoning.
The idea that all opinions are equal is an example of an opinion that can't be defended with a good argument. That's because it's baseless.

BurntBroccoli · 09/08/2025 00:21

Do you also support Reform? They’re always on about traditional roles and the good ‘ol’ days.

ChildFreeAndOhSoHappy · 09/08/2025 00:10

I don't think this went at all how you expected 🤔

PollyBell · 08/08/2025 23:41

My husband and I are not confused we just both do our bit like the grown adults we are, parents who both work and both do things around the house how is that confusing?

londongirl12 · 08/08/2025 23:39

What are you confused about? Maybe we could help you understand it.

EmeraldRoulette · 08/08/2025 23:30

Yeah, I knew this was gonna be a one post thing

If the OP could come back and clarify whether she means 20 years ago or 70 years ago, that would be helpful.

I can see most people are going for about 70 years ago, but I can't get my head around someone really wanting that!

childofthe607080s · 08/08/2025 23:30

Why does dividing the human race into 2 provide structure ? Strange . Why do you get confused ? yes I am happier with people who are able to treat me as a human without needing to make boxes for me

Twoshoesnewshoes · 08/08/2025 23:28

YABU
hth

BigKnix · 08/08/2025 23:22

I think the people who find it most distressing are are certain subset of men. They've historically been told that their only expectation in life is to earn a wage, so when they meet a woman who earns her own money and in turn expect partnership in all other areas of life, they're left feeling hard done by. So, it really sounds like a men problem - of course, the men who don't see that as hardship, generally end up in healthy relationships and the ones who don't, surely have some reddit community they can turn to to have they're fee fee's validated.

Motheranddaughter · 08/08/2025 23:17

StarCourt · 08/08/2025 22:28

David Sylvianplease

Absolutely 👍

SouthLondonMum22 · 08/08/2025 23:12

Ashley911 · 08/08/2025 23:06

Come on. This is a traditionally male problem (within a marriage-family- unit) Can you imagine Minnie mouse doing this while Mickey gets in from work urging her to find a job because they've no food for the baby. No. He would be pathetic

I'm using Disney as a mental media tool btw not that i agree with everything they say or anything

I think the pathetic thing would be for a parent to sit at home and refuse to earn money to feed their baby. Sex is irrelevant.

Ashley911 · 08/08/2025 23:11

@OneNeatBlueOrca I didn't know that. Would you say that the change disproportionately affected married women ?

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