Gender roles have been honored throughout the ages in all cultures as God-given roles until socialism and communism sneaked their way into free societies, labeling traditional families as “comfortable concentration camps” for women.
The importance of the divine, as well as the family, has been pushed out in the bible of leftist feminist tradition, as they can’t achieve their anti-God and anti-humanity end goals without doing so.
Since the beginning of human history, a female’s traditional role in a healthy family has always been foundational to a flourishing and humane society. Her god-gifted role of wife and mother is invaluable in helping nurture the next generation while supporting their husbands in their respective roles.
Contrary to what today’s mainstream feminist thought endorses, gender roles do work, and they are good. Letting wives appreciate their husbands, as the provider and protector, is empowering for both man and woman.
A healthy relationship between husband and wife turns toward divine tradition. Nomad_Soul/Shutterstock
For people of faith, there was always a place to acknowledge the divine’s presence in one’s life, especially when a female stepped into the role of wife and mother or when a male took up the responsibilities of husband and father; they would be acknowledged through ceremonies or rites of passage.
Yet some of these family traditions that went hand in hand with acknowledging the divine’s arrangement for an upright living have been lost in some cultures, like in the Western world, where the existence of God has been pushed out in many ways. For instance, some extreme independence and individuality is encouraged to the point of abandoning family traditions for the sake of pursuing one’s own self-interests.
Soft communism is pushed to many a detriment via socialist political agendas, the result being the destruction of the family fabric, which then leads to divorces, single-parent families, abortions, and the list goes on.
Communism’s Goal: Damsel in Dissonance
In today’s world, many women feel the pressures of the hectic modern life, along with uncertainty about whether or not to pursue motherhood and marriage. Women have long been told that to be “free” is to become leftist feminists and abandon traditional codes from the past. The 60s feminism is to women of all ages what Hollywood celebrities have been to young people.According to The Epoch Times’s special series “How The Specter of Communism Is Ruling Our World,” communism’s aim to divide and conquer is found in feminist 60s spirit. Communism believes “the family unit is an obstacle to human liberation,” and it requires the “private family unit to be revolutionized into a form of public ownership.” During the feminist movements, it was ingrained in women that to be a homemaker was equal to being enslaved, and to reject it would provide true liberation.
Though there is nothing wrong with women having a choice to empower themselves outside the home, the extreme manifestation of the leftist feminist influences has led to consequences such as stressful feelings towards marriage and motherhood while being burnt out in the workforce.
Divinely Inspired Traditional Feminism
Women are realizing that they have been disconnected and discouraged from their God-gifted roles during the feminist push, which can be seen across schools and workplaces. They are gradually embracing traditional feminism, where the choice to adopt the traditional lifestyle of marriage and motherhood can be an option to another type of freedom too—one that is divinely inspired. One that also has a place for man, who is honored in his respective role as husband and father, leading to strong family bonds.What the 21st-century housewives have in common in their marriages is how the gender roles are complementary and not competitive. A healthy relationship between husband and wife turns toward divine tradition, which in turn makes the chaotic modern world much more purposeful and peaceful in living.
Epoch Inspired had the wonderful opportunity to hear from a few faith-centered housewives. Read on to know how they view their roles in marriage and motherhood.
Meet the ladies:
Jennifer L. Scott, 41, from Southern California, is a mother of four, and a well-known writer. She’s the New York Times Bestselling author of “The Madame Chic” series and “Connoisseur Kids,” and a YouTuber at The Daily Connoisseur. Her books and videos on femininity and homemaking have inspired countless.
Jennifer L. Scott with her husband, Ben Scott. Courtesy of Jennifer L. Scott
Alena Kate Pettitt, 35, of the Cotswolds, England, is a full-time homemaker, author, and blogger. Alena, who left her job to opt for a more traditional lifestyle, says her home has turned into a “restful place rather than an extra chore,” and the day-to-day frustrations she and her husband used to experience with one another have completely disappeared, allowing a blissful harmony to blossom in their married life.
Alena Kate Pettitt with her husband, Carl Pettitt. Courtesy of Alena Kate Pettitt
Cherry Lynn, 38, from the Northern Chicago suburbs, is a full-time mother and works with Fascinating Womanhood. Her husband was raised by working parents, and therefore, his wife being a stay-at-home mom was a very new concept to him.
Cherry Lynn with her husband, Jose Quirarte, and children. Courtesy of Cherry Lynn
Dixie Andelin Forsyth, 71, from Springfield, Missouri, is Cherry’s mother. She is the president of Fascinating Womanhood and author of the Amazon best-selling book “Fascinating Womanhood for the Timeless Woman.” She and her husband, Dr. Robert Forsyth, have been together for the last 50 years.
Dixie Andelin Forsyth, 71, from Springfield, Missouri, is the president of Fascinating Womanhood. Courtesy of Cherry Lynn
Q&A With Faith-Centered Homemakers
Epoch Inspired: What does it means to you to be a true wife and mother?Jennifer: Love and sacrifice. Family life isn’t always easy, but I count it as a complete blessing to be a wife and the mother of our four children. My role in the family also means that I have the pleasure of curating an atmosphere of beauty and peace in our home, which I take very seriously.
Alena: Many women, like myself, see the title of “wife and mother” as a calling, rather than simply a way to introduce oneself. A role that creates a purpose in your life that is of service to others. It is not necessarily a life of servitude, because nothing is forcing you to do it—it’s an inner desire! [You] choose to embody these blessings wholeheartedly.
Cherry: Loyalty, a genuine commitment, deep love, being able to laugh at and learn from your mistakes along with constant character building are at the roots of becoming a successful mother and wife.
Dixie: Being a wife and mother is everything to me. At the center of my happiness is my relationship with my husband. We’ve been together for over 50 years, and we’ve been through a lot, including raising seven children. I’ve learned and experienced that my role is key to civilization—like it is with all other wives and mothers. The power and influence of our values and priorities multiply through the generations that follow.
Epoch Inspired: How does your husband feel about your role?
Jennifer: Ben, and I have been married for 15 years. He is very supportive of my role as a mother and, in particular, my choice to be a working mother. He is my biggest cheerleader. His support means the world to me.
Alena: Though my husband is the leader of our household, more often than not he is a silent partner because we have a clearly communicated goal that is to have a harmonious, well-run home. The traditional gender roles we have chosen for our marriage really suit us as a couple. We both believe women have been sold a bill of goods that “working for the man” and being completely independent of everyone is “freeing;” however, marriage and raising a family is dependence. It’s like to world’s best-kept secret in 2021—our grandparents’ generation had it right! Why deny that for the sake of pride and following “modern thinking?”
Cherry: I had a career for over 17 years. He is very supportive and grateful for my role in the home, but it was a bit of a journey to get to where we are. I feel that women who choose to stay home with their kids are cast out into society as “weak” or “giving up,” and it simply isn’t true.
Dixie: My husband is very supportive. He relies upon me to fulfill my role as I do with him. He has always embraced his role as husband and father, and now grandfather. He has dedicated his whole life to these roles, and he’s been exemplary. He showers me with affection, validation, and support, and he lives to serve me, as I live to serve him in return. He’s been a wonderful provider.
Epoch Inspired: Did your family pass on advice on motherhood and being a wife that you’ve found helpful?
Jennifer: My mother taught me the importance of cooking whole foods from scratch. She is from Panama and has always cooked the healthiest cuisine. My parents also taught me the importance of sitting down to dinner every night with the family. My parents have been married for over 52 years so they are great role models for me.
Alena: Both my husband and I were raised by single mothers, and happy, healthy relationships were something that was not modeled to us in our childhoods. It took a lot of soul-searching together to realize that we wanted a traditional family life, but in order to create that, we really needed to embrace it wholeheartedly. We had to shun modern thinking and the school of thought of what modern marriage and family life should look like.
Cherry: One of the most important things my mother has said to me since I was a teenager is, “What kind of woman do you think your dream man wants? Be that!” The message of self-improvement is constantly on my mind because of this powerful statement. She has always strived to be the woman my father wants to live and build his life with. One small thing my mother said to me that has stayed with me as a parent: “Your children don’t just need a mother, they need a happy mother.” It has helped me put up healthy boundaries for myself and has in a way given me permission to be kinder to myself.
Dixie: My mother wrote Fascinating Womanhood in 1963, and it went on to sell over 5 million copies and founded the international movement. She taught me an unrelenting worth ethic. She helped me find a great sense of worth as a feminine woman and taught me how to appreciate and cultivate feminine power. She taught me a great deal about understanding men; what they find fulfilling and important, why they communicate and act the way they do, how to help them heal their wounds and express their feelings, how to gain and foster trust with them, the importance of admiration to men, what masculinity is and isn’t, and so much more.
Arshdeep Sarao contributed to this report.
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