Men struggle to shake ‘breadwinner’ stereotype

Very few people believe that women belong in the kitchen, barefoot and pregnant. Over the last few decades, they have shed that stereotype and become confident, competent and ambitious in the workplace while continuing to be nurturing and loving at home. Men have had a tougher time shedding the stereotype that they should be the big breadwinner and not "Mr. Mom."

"Men have always known that it's masculine to be assertive, confident and ambitious in the workplace, but we've always thought that being nurturing and loving and kind was actually a disconfirmation of our masculinity," said Michael Kimmel, SUNY Distinguished Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies and executive director of the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities. "As a result, many men still see doing household work and child care as somehow emasculating. Of course, it's not emasculating, it's simply human."

If you ask men about their attitudes, they will tell you their wives are going to work and they are going to be career-oriented and they will also tell you that they want to be good fathers and very involved with their children.

"Over the next decade, I think we're going to be facing a collision between these ideas that say being an involved dad will make you feel like less of a man and the fact that men still want to be involved fathers. At the same time, men are doing more child care than they have ever done in our history," Kimmel said.

The United States is more gender equal than it's been in history and as time goes on, the nation will be more equal, according to Kimmel. Most importantly, more men say they want to be involved with their children and they are finding out that it is fun and they get a lot out of it.

"I think that will be the movement of the future, but what's still getting in our way are these notions of masculinity that make us think that somehow we are less men if we actually do that, which is a hold over from a long time ago," he said. "I think it will change more in our behaviors first, than in our attitudes. But, it has already begun to change and I believe it will only continue to do so."