Death of the Double Standard?

Observations in the dissolution of gender expectations.

A friend and I recently had a discussion about what it means to be a gold-digger in our day and age.

As two women who are- for the most part- work oriented, the conversation was one of general ridicule towards those who choose a path of “careerlessness”, and instead intentionally attach themselves to some prodigiously wealthy individual in order to fulfill one of many wasteful habits (such as over-shopping, frequent overseas vacations, questionable addictions to exotic animals or cars- or maybe exotic animals in cars, etc.) Stereotypically, this leech-like title is awarded to women; but is under no circumstance to be confused with a stay-at-home mom.

If society is supposedly moving towards the eradication of the “double-standard”, does that mean the present and future hold an army of parasitic men as well as the aforementioned pigeonholed women? And if so, what would we call them? Surely this phenomenon will warrant a brand new name to highlight its growing regularity. Some claim that the word already exists: gigolo. I vote for something more endearing. How about platinum-plunderer or money-miner?

The numbers indicate that this trend is already spawning some of these fine-looking freeloaders. With universities worldwide accepting more women than men, the job-market will inevitably become even more inundated with powerfully situated women. According to statistics published by the U.S. Census Bureau on school enrollment in the United States, women made up approximately 56 percent of the undergraduate population, and a whopping 59 percent of graduate students in 2005.

Evidence of this trend is already manifest in popular media. Remember Kevin Federline? He is perhaps the poster-child for all aspiring manpires. Not only did he marry Britney Spears at the height of her multi-million dollar career in 2004, but he also managed to take her down with him when things weren’t going his way. And now, after a nasty divorce settlement (a total $19 million given to Federline- according to various web sources) in March of 2007, this backup dancer from Fresno will probably never have to work again.

This doesn’t mean that there won’t be just as many female gold-diggers out there. I’m only suggesting that there may very well be an equal number of money-miners too. And is it really a bad thing? Absolutely not- and let me tell you why. Gold-digging (and money-mining) are actually a profession. Think about it. How common is it for a person to be able to land a relationship in which the partner not only makes absurd amounts of money, but is also concurrently willing to share it with you? All evidence points out that this gold-digger must have some great charm or appeal to the aforementioned moneybags. We can only surmise that this person’s considerable physical and social graces makes it seem – somehow – that all the money awarded to them is earned.

This now brings us to the topic of stay at home parents. Traditionally, we have seen this role as household caretaker fall to the matriarch of the family. But just as the number of men as money-miners is increasing, so does the number of patriarchs adopting the position of nurse, cook, and housekeeper rise. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report published in 2006, an estimated 143 thousand fathers with children under the age of 15 were stay-at-home parents – remaining outside of the primary labor market. While this statistic seems insignificant in light of the fact that there were an estimated 66.3 million fathers nationwide in 2006 – this is significantly higher than data proposed in a study two years earlier, in which it was suggested that only an 98 thousand dads took on this position.

The moral of this phenomena? There isn’t one. This shift has been occurring slowly but steadily for the last five decades, and shows few signs of slowing down. In the humble opinion of this writer, one can only assume that the Millennials, and generations following them, will enjoy a world where gender is not attached to any social role. Perhaps – as a friend once confided in me – somewhere down the road, the roles will completely switch.

Suggested links: How to be a Gold Digger

Rita S.