The focus of this portion of our web guide is on women's lifestyles.
In the past century, and particularly in recent years, the lifestyle of the average woman has changed dramatically, most closely converging on that of men's lifestyles.
In 1917, women couldn't vote, initiate divorce proceedings, or obtain legal protection from marital rape. In many parts of the world, forced marriages were common. Very few women were in the workplace, and employment options for women were limited. How have women's lifestyles changed in the past century?
A hundred years ago, a larger portion of the land was in agriculture and more people lived on farms. Women were charged with tending a garden, feeding chickens, collecting eggs, maintaining the home, and tending to children.
Fifty years ago, women could vote, and ostensibly, they were granted many of the same legal rights as men. A larger percentage of the population lived in cities or suburbs, but the traditional role of a woman was to maintain the house and raise children. There were larger numbers of women in the job market although the opportunities were fewer and the pay was not equitable.
Beginning in the 1960s, changes in the norms surrounding gender roles, sexuality, and gender roles resulted in a rise in divorce, remarriage, cohabitation, and multiple-partner fertility. In turn, these changes have led to a proliferation of family ties that are more diffuse, more ambiguous, and, in many cases, weaker.
In the latter part of the 20th century, the participation of women participating in the labor force rose, as did the percentage of women pursuing higher education. Although many women still take time off from work for childrearing, it is more likely to be measured in months rather than years today.
Women are marrying and forming families at later ages today, and childrearing is increasingly non-traditional. Similarly, while 23% of women born during the Great Depression had their first child during their teenage years, this declined to 18% among those born in the 1960s or later and has continued to decline, particularly among women with more than a high school education.
As women were marrying and having children later, divorce also began to be easier for women to initiate, and thus more common. Nearly 40% of baby boomers. have been divorced at least once, and they were more likely to have been divorced at a younger age than earlier generations.
Unsurprisingly, higher education and greater participation in the labor force among women have led to less dependence on a husband's earning power. This has also encouraged both men and women to adapt to changing roles in order to maintain family stability, resulting in changing lifestyles for both men and women.
Due to divorced children, former sons- and daughters-in-law, and grandchildren with different sets of parents, the role of grandparents has diminished in many families. However, in other families, grandparents have been the most stable and consistent relationships in their grandchildren's lives, and many have become the primary caregivers for their grandchildren.
Nevertheless, a not-insignificant number of women have adopted the traditional roles, as housekeepers and caregivers for their children. Even in families where both partners are employed, women take on more childcare tasks than men, and they typically take on more of the housekeeping responsibilities.
Women's lifestyles have undergone significant changes in the past century. They have made strides in various fields, including politics, education, and employment. In many countries, women have broken into government at high levels.
However, in some parts of the world, women are still not allowed to drive or even to leave the house except when accompanied by a man.
 
 
Recommended Resources
The non-profit and non-partisan organization empowers rural women by building leadership through networks, mentorship, education, and civic engagement. Its website provides information on how to make contributions to the organization and provides news and schedules of upcoming events. Its board of directors and staff are introduced, along with student and fellowship opportunities, project reports, press information, and contacts. Registration for its monthly reading room is also available.
https://100ruralwomen.org/
About-Face is a non-profit organization that teaches media literacy and activism skills to teen girls and youth in the San Francisco Bay Area, with the goal of helping them develop critical thinking skills and build self-esteem by challenging the media's beauty ideals and gender stereotypes. The organization also supports their adult advocates, including parents, teachers, mentors, relatives, and group leaders through adult-centered workshops and curriculum development.
https://about-face.org/
The women-owned and operated travel company specializes in assembling trips exclusively for women. Founded in 1982, the company has featured trips to 65 countries, blending history, wildlife, culture, and local cuisine. The company features small groups, averaging 12-14 guests, who will generally develop relationships with one another, as well as with some of the local women they will encounter on the trips. Upcoming trips are featured on the site, and may be booked online.
https://www.adventurewomen.com/
Stylized Allwomenstalk, the digital magazine provides daily advice, guidance, and entertainment in a format designed to be pleasing to women of all ages. Founded in 2005, the female-focused brand publishes blogs for women, mobile lifestyle applications, and articles on a wide range of topics, including bags, beauty, books, celebrities, cooking, DIY, fashion, fitness, gardening, health, inspiration, and others. Article placement information is provided.
https://allwomenstalk.com/
Bella Online is a global network for women's content, including five hundred vertical niche sites for and by women, shopping links, articles, tips, recipes, and community message boards and chats. As a training system, it focuses on bringing in women who dream about writing and providing the training, including instructors, support, and promotion, to help them achieve their goals. Its channels, forums, and online radio stations are featured, along with membership information.
http://www.bellaonline.com/
The Chick Lit Books website has reviews and other information on books of interest to women. Recently reviewed works include "Off the Record" and "Conversations with the Fat Girl." The website is quite comprehensive in covering the sub-genres of chick lit; Mom Lit, Single City Lit, Wedding Lit, and more are covered here. Reviews are listed chronologically, with the most recently published books on top. A search feature can be used to find others. A blog is also available.
https://www.chicklitbooks.com/
The conservative women's magazine challenges progressive orthodoxy with a pro-women and pro-America message, encouraging women to reject feminism and embrace conservative values of faith, family, and freedom. A profile of the magazine and introduction to its team is provided, and a subscription provides full access to its articles, including premium content and discounts at its online store, although much of its content may be viewed through its site. Contacts are posted.
https://www.theconservateur.com/
Launched in 2014, TCW is a conservative women's magazine designed to be a counter-cultural offensive against Leftism, feminism, and modernism, which its authors consider to be anti-family and authoritarian. Published online from Britain, the website is funded through donations, and welcomes new writers. Its editorial team, writers, and contacts are posted on the site, and its content is available for viewing online. Subscriptions to its daily news via email are available.
https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/
Provides entries from the print version of this young women's magazine. The site offers articles on relationship and sex, style and beauty, health, career and other important aspect of life. The website also features celebrity styles that you can try on and it also contains a variety of fun stuff and games. The hot guys section of the website features the Cosmo bachelors and a guy gallery. The site also dedicates a section just for you where you can take quizzes, share confessions and more.
https://www.cosmopolitan.com/
Stylized in all-caps, Essence is a US-based lifestyle magazine that covers fashion, beauty, entertainment, and culture. Published since 1970, the magazine targets African-American women. The online version of the magazine features large images that also display links to its main articles. Readers may also browse "Top Stories," "Hot Right Now," and other sections. Content can also be found through topical headings. Videos and event postings are included.
https://www.essence.com/
Female First is a British website dedicated to the interests of women. The website also has a whole section dedicated to weddings, including tips on mistakes that one ought to avoid. The website also has financial advice for women including managing business and money, competitions, and other features. The website also has a large section dedicated to celebrities, including the British Royal family. Contact information and advertising opportunities are featured.
https://www.femalefirst.co.uk/
The FMF is a non-profit organization formed in 1987 to advance women's power, equality, and economic development. Since 2001, FMF has published Ms. Magazine, which publishes articles on the conditions of women in the United States and abroad. Its projects and programs are highlighted on the site, which includes links to other feminist magazines, videos, and collections. New items relevant to feminism and women's rights are posted, and an online shopping area offers various items.
https://feminist.org/
Founded in 1997, the national organization's mission is o increase girls' interest and engagement in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), offering year-round out-of-school STEM programming for girls in grades four through eight in California, Massachusetts, Texas, and other locations. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, its programs, locations, schedules, and volunteer opportunities are published on the site, along with contact and support information.
https://girlstart.org/
JWA is a US-based national non-profit organization whose mission is to document Jewish women's stories, elevate their voices, and inspire them to become agents of change. Founded in 1995, the organization is headquartered in Brookline, Massachusetts. It produces and distributes community-based oral history projects, online exhibitions, original academic research, educational curricula, training for educators, and documentary films, which are highlighted here, along with an online store.
https://jwa.org/
The French international monthly magazine for women was first published in France in 1937, followed by the United Kingdom in 1941, and later in other countries and languages. The U.S. edition was started by the Hearst Corporation. The publication focuses on women around the world, global issues, health, beauty, politics, finance, and career topics. Contacts and policy data are posted on the site, along with career, advertising, and investment opportunities.
https://www.marieclaire.com/
Published by the Hearst Corporation, Redbook is an American women's magazine that published monthly print editions from 1903 to 2019, when it became an online-only magazine. Its content is targeted primarily towards married women, offering stories about women dealing with modern hardships, aspiring for intellectual growth, and encouraging other women to work together for various causes, as well as profile successful women. Advertising opportunities are available.
https://www.redbookmag.com/
Stylized in all-caps, Self is an American online women's magazine that focuses on articles relating to health, beauty, and style. It was published as a print magazine from 1979 to 2017, when it became a digital-only magazine. Its editorial team is made up of a diverse group of individuals from a wide range of reporting and editing backgrounds. An overview of the publication, key personnel, contacts, and career opportunities are published, and articles are sorted by topic.
https://www.self.com/
Focused on mothers, and stylized SheKnows, the online magazine offers news, service, and aspirational stories to help women care for themselves and their families, publishing researched service tips, expert advice, how-tos, and product information, from baby gear recommendations to how to handle a picky eater, and raise an activist child. Its editorial staff is introduced, and career opportunities are offered. Its content is sorted into topical headings.
https://www.sheknows.com/
Stylized thirdAGE.com, the website is a health and wellness site targeted to women of all ages and their families. It features information on a wide range of topics, including brain health, food and nutrition, fitness, family, and money. Included are informational articles, videos, podcasts, slideshows, and other resources on various aspects of healthy living. Specific information on several featured medical conditions is included, and a wide variety of health topics are listed alphabetically.
https://thirdage.com/
First published in 1931, Woman's Day began as a free, in-store menu and recipe planner owned by A&P, and designed to entice customers to buy more. In 1937, it was expanded through a wholly owned subsidiary, the Stores Publishing Company, sold exclusively in A&P stores until 1958, when it was acquired by Fawcett Publications. Currently owned by Hearst Magazines, it features recipes and cooking tips, home decor, lifestyle topics, relationships, and faith and religion.
https://www.womansday.com/
Based in New York City, Women's eNews is a non-profit news service publishing international news articles specializing in coverage of women's lives. With writers and readers around the world, its editors seek out freelance writers to write on a variety of topics, including politics, religion, economics, health, science, sustainability, education, sports, legislation, and others, commissioning them to write 800-word news articles for distribution. Contacts are posted.
https://womensenews.org/
Offering women-only, small-group tours, the travel company welcomes members from all over the world, of all ages, although most come from North America. Upcoming tours are featured on the site, and those that are not yet closed are available for online booking. Photos, inclusions, highlights, and other details are provided. Signature, Classic, and Essential tours are highlighted, and may also be found by tour type. Photo and video galleries are featured.
https://www.womens-travel-club.com/