The number of Americans getting married may be declining, but for one demographic, nuptials are increasing: rich women.
In her new book “The Richer Sex: How the New Majority of Female Breadwinners Is Transforming Sex, Love and Family,” author Liza Mundy draws attention to a reverse in traditional gender roles as more men “marry up” to be with women who are more educated, better paid, or in more high-profile careers than them.
As more women inevitably seek office, the role of the political spouse could change, Mundy told Yeas & Nays at the book’s launch party on Tuesday. Some of today’s political husbands still find a masculine role to play on the campaign trail. “Todd Palin, now that’s a guy who’s masculine in his domain,” she said. “I think he also kind of plays this role of protector, not quite to the point of bodyguard.” Marcus Bachmann also became “physically protective” of wife Michele Bachmann during her presidential campaign. “It gives them a…sort of a traditionally masculine role,” Munday explained.
When Nikki Haley was elected the first female governor of South Carolina in 2010, her husband became the state’s first gentleman. “We’ve had to make some adjustments,” Haley wrote in her forthcoming book “Can’t Is Not an Option.” For one, the first spouse typically hosts teas. When her husband, Michael, “can’t escape going to a tea or something equally girly, I go with him to protect his macho rep.”
When a man is the executive’s spouse, it can make some of his traditional duties (hosting teas, decorating the White House) seem laughable, Mundy said. “You do wonder, couldn’t we get to a day when someone else could pick out the china?” she asked. “Maybe it would take having a first husband for us to get this day. To say, you know what, they don’t need to have a platform. That’s kind of silly.”
