You might have heard that, after the birth of his daughter with Beyonce Knowles in January, Jay-Z has sworn off calling women “bitches.”His change of heart is illustrative of a trend among fathers documented by sociologists Emily Shafer and Neil Malhotra. Their article measured the effect of a new baby’s sex on a parent’s gender ideology. Their findings? Men’s support for traditional gender roles weakens after they have a daughter; no similar result was documented for new mothers.
This first graph shows the average change in fathers’ attitudes before and after having a daughter and a son. The authors note that both men who have daughters (solid grey line) and those who have sons (black dotted line) show a decrease in support for traditional gender roles, but that men who have daughters show a much more steep decline in support.
This second graph shows the average change in mothers’ attitudes. Notice that mothers start off with a much lower average level of support for traditional gender roles than fathers and appears to decrease over time. These changes, though, are not statistically significant. So this study offers no evidence mothers’ ideologies change the way fathers’ do.
Jay-Z, then, may be experiencing what a lot of fathers experience: a change in their thinking about women inspired by looking into the eyes of their own baby daughter.
Cite: Shafer, Emily and Neil Malhotra. 2011. The Effect of a Child’s Sex on Support for Traditional Gender Roles. Social Forces 50, 1: 209-222.
Lisa Wade, PhD is an Associate Professor at Tulane University. She is the author of American Hookup, a book about college sexual culture; a textbook about gender; and a forthcoming introductory text: Terrible Magnificent Sociology. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
Comments 44
Anonymous — January 30, 2012
We "might have heard that," but that doesn't make it true: http://www.avclub.com/articles/never-mind-jayz-will-still-be-saying-the-word-bitc,67893/
Rachel Robbins — January 30, 2012
yeah, I'd edit to reflect the fact that he didn't actually say that
Mieko Gavia — January 30, 2012
Is this research among men world-wide? Or just in the States?
JS — January 30, 2012
Even if Jay-Z had actually said this, does deciding that you will no longer constantly refer to women publicly as "bitches" following the birth of your daughter really make you a "feminist father"?
Elena — January 30, 2012
Those are very pretty straight lines, but I'd like to have seen the clouds of dots.
/No access beyond the paywall
Anonymous — January 30, 2012
It's a repeat of the abercrombie push-up bra fiasco! In that Lisa just heard something and ran with it instead of doing even the bare minimum of research. I hope she doesn't get any accolades for blatant misinformation THIS time.
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Anonymous — January 30, 2012
What constitutes "support for traditional gender roles"? How is this measured? How are we to interpret this study without this kind of crucial information about its methodology?
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C. D. Leavitt — January 30, 2012
As someone has already noted, he'll still be using the word "bitch."
Additionally, even if he were going to change his language, I'd question the sincerity of this being "feminism." In most cases, it's a matter of a man feeling paternalistic ownership of a specific female. He wants to protect his property and see it succeed. That study doesn't show anything about his actual treatment or concern for unrelated females. He's simply loosened his grip on traditional gender roles, perhaps simply to give greater options for one female and one female only.
Falling in love and marrying a woman, having a woman for a mother, having sisters, none of these things made him question gender roles. It was only when he felt ownership over a female that such a change took place. The insincerity there is absurd.
C. D. Leavitt — January 30, 2012
As someone has already noted, he'll still be using the word "bitch."
Additionally, even if he were going to change his language, I'd question the sincerity of this being "feminism." In most cases, it's a matter of a man feeling paternalistic ownership of a specific female. He wants to protect his property and see it succeed. That study doesn't show anything about his actual treatment or concern for unrelated females. He's simply loosened his grip on traditional gender roles, perhaps simply to give greater options for one female and one female only.
Falling in love and marrying a woman, having a woman for a mother, having sisters, none of these things made him question gender roles. It was only when he felt ownership over a female that such a change took place. The insincerity there is absurd.
Rumu1981 — January 30, 2012
I couldn't care any less than I do right now! This is just as ridiculous as his daughters name. I mean this makes me wonder how many times he called Beyonce that word. lol
Rumu1981 — January 30, 2012
I couldn't care any less than I do right now! This is just as ridiculous as his daughters name. I mean this makes me wonder how many times he called Beyonce that word. lol
Gilbert Pinfold — January 30, 2012
What Judith said. How are 'bitches' and 'hoes' traditional anything?
Diana — January 30, 2012
What is the measuring tool for "support for traditional gender roles"?
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Anittah Patrick — February 2, 2012
I wonder if this is all fathers, or fathers who are actively involved in raising their daughters?
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Yoojin — February 10, 2012
It is really sad that thier treatment effect is going down after the birth, however i think it is very hard to change the habit of speaking. It might be temporary ( for the most of cases). Hopefully he can keep up the careings
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