Does a traditionalist woman necessarily mean she's a push over?

Question

There seems to be an idea that a traditionalist woman is someone who will be a submissive slave to the husband and obey his orders no questions asked.

I'm skeptical of that becuase I know several women who claim to be traditionalists yet that doesn't mean they are push overs. They still want to be treated respectfully.

Answer 1

Not at all, that's not the case with my mother and my sister. I'd rather work, but I don't think by any means that a woman who would rather stay at home and take care of the children and do the housework is any more of a push over than a working woman. They both have jobs to do, they chose what they wanted to do; what's the problem?

Answer 2

I think that the idea of traditionalist women being pushovers, is a lie created by the feminist movement, (not tryna start anything here)

In my opinion, (and in many others' also) "Housewives" if you want to call them that, are the backbone for a family. Mothers play an incredibly critical role in the family. I think that Mothers are Strong and should be proud, regardless of what has been said by Feminists.

My mom is a traditionalist woman, and she's RESPECTED EVERYWHERE we've ever been. There's an aura that she and many like her exude, which demands respect.  (Never seen very successful feminist families, maybe I'm wrong but...)

Answer 3

We aren't pushovers at all. In fact we are the opposite. We aren't pressured into thinking that we have to make something of ourselves outside of the home. Our husbands(most of them) respect us and what we do. We ARE the cornerstone of our families. We feel that we are independent inside of our homes because it is our domain and our blank canvas. Our children are students and we are the teacher. How awesome is it to be able to raise future presidents, astronauts, authors, mayors, doctors, mothers and fathers. Being a SAHM has endless possiblities!

Answer 4

Its all in the labelling, I guess.  

Today's women seem to feel it necessary to label themselves - contrary to what they say they want.  (In other words, I guess its okay if they slap the label on themselves, but God help any man who tries to label them....)  We see all kinds of them today - feminist, traditionalist, submissive, surrendered...and the list goes on.  

Bottom line - you can't tell much about a woman's stand based upon her label - better to look at how she lives her life than rely upon a name that society has created.  Traditionalist, to me, means a woman who is happy to assume the role of nurturer and keeper of home and hearth.  Generally, this would be a full time job, but there are many traditionalists who work outside the home as well as run it.  And those I know are ANYTHING but pushovers....but thats just my experience.  

At the end of the day - people will find exactly what they are looking for.  If it is a person's perception that a traditionalist is weak and submissive - they will be able to find all kinds of proof of their ideas in the actions and deeds of that traditionalist.  But sadly, their distorted view will recognize kindness and a giving nature as being soft and a pushover.

Answer 5

Not at all. If anything, traditional women demand and get MORE respect than their "feminist" counter parts.

Answer 6

I think that traditonal women understand that there is a difference between men and women. They also understand that by using each others strengths a relationship comes stronger. Equal but different.

Answer 7

It would be a mistake to assume that.

Every person, including women, are very different, and simply because a woman has certain views does not mean she will respond in a given way to any set of circumstances.

Take your cue from the individual, not the lifestyle or political position.

Cheers :-)

Answer 8

No. I'm not traditional, yet I have a history of having a hard time saying no and being a push-over..It's just someone's personality.

I'm working on being more assertive though. It takes time for some people and doesn't happen overnight.

Answer 9

The "obey" in a marriage ceremony has always been a joke. Most traditional marriages have always been dominated by the woman.

Answer 10

Nope. Just to make a point clear not all submissive wives are obedient and not all obedient wives are submissive.  Agreeing does not always been obedience. Obedience doesn't always mean agreeing.  For example take the wife who agrees with her husband that the sky is green and the grass is blue; this being settled he turns around, in the next breath, and tells her not to talk a certain person; she turns around and tells him "hey it's bad enough I'm agreeing with you; you can't tell me who to talk to and she disobeys him.  Then we take the other wife who tells him she's disagrees that the sky is green and the grass is blue; when he tells her not to talk to a certain person; she obeys; no sass; no nothing; whether she agrees or not.  You know giving the impression she doesn't have a mind of her own; only she demonstrated that by telling him he's nuts if he wants her to agree the sky is green and the grass is blue she does have a mind of her own.  There are always subtle distinctions and even these distinctions can be crossed over.  About that slave thing; true the occasional slave does pop up. In short I knew a man who had his wife doing his homework and school projects; this one day he had he running up and down the stairs like you wouldn't believe; doing things he should have been doing on his own.

Grins widely at TD and LHHO whoo whee it feels so good to be hated.

Answer 11

Feminists want to believe that they're push overs.

Traditionalist women have a kind of power feminists will never have.

Answer 12

h**l no. My Mother ran the household with an Iron Fist. And she was very traditional (Roman Catholic).

Answer 13

My mother was traditional, but she ran everything, money included.  I guess, though that automatically makes her not-traditional.  What does "traditional" really mean?

Answer 14

There were plenty house-matriarchists back in the past.