Are you a breadwinning wife?

Is it just me, or are breadwinning wives every where? On the morning news shows, in countless blogs, overheard conversations during happy hours--the topic of wives out-earning their husbands has received a lot of attention recently. It’s no wonder. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a third of all wives earn more than their husbands (2003). Dang. That’s a lot of hard working women.

The Breadwinning Broads project* has been talking to hundreds of these meal-ticket mamas and we want to hear from you. Are you the breadwinner in your relationship? Do you want to share some of your experiences? If so, take a few minutes to ponder the following questions. If you are so moved, answer a few or all of them. Send us your answers in an email to breadwinningbroads@yahoo.com. We would love to hear from you.

How did you become the breadwinner in your relationship?

How has being the breadwinner affected your marriage?

How has being the breadwinner affected your relationships outside your marriage?

What are the best parts of being the breadwinner?

What are the worst?

Would you quit your job, if you could? Why?

Are there times when you are proud of being the breadwinner? When?

Are there times when you are resentful, sad, or just pissed-off about being the breadwinner?

Is being the one who brings home the bacon what you expected it to be? How?

Would you change things if you could? In what ways?

If your marriage or relationship did not last, answer the questions from your perspective as a former breadwinner. You may also answer these questions: Did your relationship end due to your role as the provider? Who ended the marriage? How has life changed since your marriage ended?

* The Breadwinning Broads project is collecting the stories of breadwinning wives for a book about the topic.  Our hope is to shine a light on the shifting roles in modern marriages or relationships and how women feel these changes have impacted their identity as a wife, girlfriend, partner, mother, daughter or woman.

The Breadwinning Broads project is seeking first person stories from wives, girlfriends, or partners, who earn, or once earned, most or all of the household income.

The Fine Print:

By answering these questions, you are offering your consent to allow us publish your words. We will, of course, contact you prior to using your stories in our book.

1. No contributors will receive financial compensation for their contribution whether or not it is selected for publication.  Contributing breadwinners will be recognized in the book to the extent that they wish.
2. If selected for publication in the book, breadwinners agree to terms in a consent agreement (e.g., permission to publish the stories in the book, use in promotional materials, use of name in the book).

Editor: Katie Griffith holds an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Wyoming and has spent the last ten years studying cultural and social trends in the United States. The Breadwinner project began when she and many of her thoughtful friends realized that things had really changed—and they weren’t sure they liked it. Katie has worked as a lecturer in American Studies, a young adult librarian, an educator and, of course, a breadwinning wife and mother.  

It's shaping up

Thank you for all of the submissions! I have heard from many thoughtful, insightful breadwinning wives. I continue to be amazed by the number of us and the complexity of our stories.
I continue to gather voices of women who serve as the primary breadwinner in their families. I have been interviewing breadwinning broads who wanted to share their stories, but didn't have the time (imagine that!) to write an essay. If you are interested in sharing your story, but don't have the time to write it down, please contact me. I'd love to chat!

Extended Due Date

I've had many excellent submissions thus far. I would love to see even more. The deadline has been extended until July 31st, 2011. Looking forward to hearing from more breadwinners!

Call for Essays

Stories from women who bring home most (or even all) of the bacon

The topic of wives out-earning their husbands has received a lot of attention recently. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a third of all wives earn more than their husbands (2003). The Breadwinning Broads project wants to hear about life from the perspective of these meal-ticket mamas. Our hope is to shine a light on the shifting roles in modern marriages or relationships and how women feel these changes have impacted their identity as a wife, girlfriend, partner, mother, daughter or woman.

The Breadwinning Broads project is seeking first person stories of 1200-2000 words from wives, girlfriends, or partners, who earn, or once earned, most or all of the household income. Rather than social commentary or man-bashing rants, we are looking for stories focusing on the unique stories of being the breadwinner.

Here are some questions that may help spark your story:

1.       As the breadwinner, how to do you see yourself? Was there a specific event or time that you realized that being the breadwinner changed you? In what ways?

2.       How has being a breadwinner impacted your role as a daughter? Was your mother a breadwinner, as well? How did you tell your mother or father that you were the breadwinner? Do your parents perceive your husband or boyfriend differently because of your role?

3.       What do you do for a living? What stories do you have about your work outside the home? Are you passionate about it? Hate it?

4.       If you have children, were there times when you felt that being the breadwinner impacted your ability to be a mother?

5.       Was there a specific time when you realized your marriage or relationship changed as a result of your breadwinning status?

6.       If your marriage or relationship did not last, was it due to your role as the provider? Who ended the marriage?

7.       What does your husband/boyfriend/partner do for a living? Stay at home with the kids? Run his own business? Does he talk about the difference in your incomes with you? His friends? His family?

8.       When did you become the breadwinner? Did you willingly enter into your role or did circumstances require you to take it on?

9.       Was there a moment when being the breadwinner suddenly felt liberating? Or a moment when it felt confining?

10.   What trepidations did you have about becoming the breadwinner?

Above all, we are looking for stories that moves us, makes us laugh, surprises us and gives us unique insight into life as a breadwinning broad. 

Please submit essays to breadwinningbroads@yahoo.com by July 31st, 2011.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The Fine Print:

Submission of an essay does not guarantee publication in the book.  Several factors will be considered when determining which works will be selected for publication by the editor and publisher.

1. Electronic submissions only, please. Essays will not be returned to the author.
2. No contributors will receive financial compensation for their work whether or not it is selected for publication.  Contributing authors will be recognized in the book and in the book publicity for their published work.
3. If selected for publication in the book, authors agree to terms in a consent agreement (e.g., permission to publish the work in the book, use in promotional materials, use of name in the book, release of copyright).
4. Authors affirm that submitted work was not previously published.
5. The editor and publisher reserve the right to reject any submissions and to edit the stories for grammar, style and space.

Editor: Katie Griffith holds an M.A. in American Studies from the University of Wyoming and has spent the last ten years studying cultural and social trends in the United States. The Breadwinner project began when she and many of her thoughtful friends realized that things had really changed—and they weren’t sure they liked it. Katie has worked as a lecturer in American Studies, a young adult librarian, an educator and, of course, a breadwinning wife and mother.  

Fourth Wave Feminism

Breadwinning Broads on Fourth Wave

Literary Mama : Blog : Breadwinning Broads

Literary Mama : Blog : Breadwinning Broads

The call is out

Three weeks into our project and I have posted the call for essays on numerous sites. Several bloggers have agreed to post the call, as well, including Literary Mama, Fourth Wave Feminists and Divorced Breadwinner Mom.

I'm excited to see the return from many of the women who have already contacted me. In my search for fellow women writers, I discovered a wonderful online community of women writers called SheWrites. Definitely worth a look.

Visit She Writes