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The world has obviously changed dramatically since the 1930s–particularly in the realm of gender relations. More women are in the workforce than ever before, and social, political and economical power is no longer a privilege, it’s an egalitarian right. With these shifts in how men and women see each other in relation and in society, their expectations for marriage have adjusted as well.
According to Fatherly.com, in 1939 both men and women agreed that the best qualities in a partner was dependable character, emotional stability and chastity. Men wanted their woman to have good looks more than intelligence.
But now those marital standards have changed as the world has changed. And now both sexes are looking for a whole new crop of qualities to have a happy marriage.
In 2008, women ranked “love and good looks” as the top characteristics they want in a spouse. Chastity declined dramatically from it’s 1930 importance. Love, which was once ranked the fifth most important relationship quality, rose to number one.
The modern man also values intelligence in his partner more than any other time in history. The 2000s man also wants a wifey who is sociable. Qualities like housekeeping or cooking decreased over time, but more men are also seeking women who are more financially sound.
The decrease in the importance of chastity matches how attitudes towards sex and sexual partners has changed over time. The number of women and men with multiple sex partners before marriage has increased dramatically since 1970, so partners expectations towards sexuality had to expand to match the cultural shift.
With both sexes prioritizing love over other aspects of relationship, the pressure to feel in “love” all the time can plague many couples on the road to forever. Love requires a lot of grace, forgiveness and patience, and every relationship hits its lows or falls prey to the lull of monotony. But if the act of love is consistent, not just the feeling of love, modern day couples can see longevity in their partnerships even with their new standards.
