Woman in the Home
By Carrie W. Allen
(In “The Progressive Woman.”)
It is generally conceded that woman lives in a state of subordination to man, and nowhere is this more apparent than in that sphere which is said to be distinctly her own, the home.
The woman in the home renders service which the male wage-earner could not buy. She is the family economist. She mends and makes the garments, buys the food and clothing, and by her intelligence and thrift maintains the head of the house in a state of physical efficiency which enables him to go out and sell his labor power. The service she renders is priceless. But, because she brings in no actual money, she is considered an economic dependent, and treated as a subordinate because of this dependence.
The lot of this woman is desolately pitiable, much worse in many cases than that of the woman who has gone out into industry.