i want a wife essay by judy brady

Judy Brady's Legendary Feminist Satire, "I Want a Wife"

George Marks / Getty Images

Feminist Texts
History Of Feminism
Important Figures
Women's Suffrage
Women & War
Laws & Womens Rights
American History
African American History
African History
Ancient History and Culture
Asian History
European History
Latin American History
Medieval & Renaissance History
Military History
The 20th Century
J.D., Hofstra University
B.A., English and Print Journalism, University of Southern California

One of the best-remembered pieces from the premiere issue of Ms . magazine is “I Want a Wife.” Judy Brady’s (then Judy Syfers) tongue-in-cheek essay explained in one page what all too many men had taken for granted about “housewives.”

What Does a Wife Do?

“I Want a Wife” was a humorous piece that also made a serious point: Women who played the role of “wife” did many helpful things for husbands and usually children without anyone realizing. Even less, it wasn't acknowledged that these “wife’s tasks” could have been done by someone who wasn’t a wife, such as a man.

“I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after my children, a wife who will pick up after me."

The desired wife tasks included:

Work to support us so I can go back to school
Take care of the children, including feeding them and nurturing them, keeping them clean, taking care of their clothes, taking care of their schooling and social life
Keep track of doctor and dentist appointments
Keep my house clean and pick up after me
See to it that my personal things are where I can find them when I need them
Take care of the babysitting arrangements
Be sensitive to my sexual needs
But do not demand attention when I am not in the mood
Do not bother me with complaints about a wife’s duties

The essay fleshed out these duties and listed others. The point, of course, was that housewives were expected to do all these things, but no one ever expected a man to be capable of these tasks. The underlying question of the essay was “Why?”

Striking Satire

At the time, “I Want a Wife” had the humorous effect of surprising the reader because a woman was the one asking for a wife. Decades before gay marriage became a commonly discussed subject, there was only one person who had a wife: a privileged male husband. But, as the essay famously concluded, “who wouldn’t want a wife?”

Judy Brady was inspired to write her famous piece at a feminist consciousness-raising session . She was complaining about the issue when someone said, “Why don’t you write about it?” She went home and did so, completing the essay within a few hours.

Before it was printed in Ms ., “I Want a Wife” was first delivered aloud in San Francisco on Aug 26, 1970. Judy (Syfers) Brady read the piece at a rally celebrating the 50 th anniversary of women’s right to vote in the U.S. , obtained in 1920. The rally packed a huge crowd into Union Square; hecklers stood near the stage as "I Want a Wife" was read.

Lasting Fame

Since “I Want a Wife” appeared in Ms ., the essay has become legendary in feminist circles. In 1990, Ms . reprinted the piece. It is still read and discussed in women’s studies classes and mentioned in blogs and news media. It is often used as an example of satire and humor in the feminist movement .

Judy Brady later became involved in other social justice causes, crediting her time in the feminist movement with being foundational for her later work.

Echoes of the Past: The Supportive Role of Wives

Judy Brady does not mention knowing an essay by Anna Garlin Spencer from much earlier in the 20th century, and may not have known it, but this echo from the so-called first wave of feminism shows that the ideas in "I Want a Wife" were in the minds of other women, too,

In "The Drama of the Woman Genius" (collected in Woman's Share in Social Culture ), Spencer addresses women's chances for achievement the supportive role that wives had played for many famous men, and how many famous women, including Harriet Beecher Stowe , had the responsibility for childcare and housekeeping as well as writing or other work. Spencer writes, “A successful woman preacher was once asked what special obstacles have you met as a woman in the ministry? Not one, she answered, except the lack of a minister's wife.”

Edited and with additional content by Jone Johnson Lewis

Reading Quiz on 'Why I Want a Wife' by Judy Brady
Articles in the First Issue of Ms. Magazine
The Best Quotes From 19th Century Feminist Lucy Stone
Goals of the Feminist Movement
Top 20 Influential Modern Feminist Theorists
Is the Wife of Bath a Feminist Character?
Emma Watson's 2014 Speech on Gender Equality
Gloria Steinem
Dorothy Parker Quotes
How to Use Repetition to Develop Effective Paragraphs
Quotes From Princess Diana
Don't Just Survive...Thrive Empty Nest Advice
Geoffrey Chaucer: Early Feminist?
Hillary Clinton Quotes
End of the School Year Checklist for Principals

clock This article was published more than 3 years ago

‘Why I Want a Wife’: The overwhelmed working mom who pined for a wife 50 years ago

A half-century ago, thousands of women’s liberation movement supporters packed into San Francisco’s Union Square. They joined about 100,000 more in cities across the country on Aug. 26, 1970, celebrating the 50th anniversary of women’s suffrage in a protest called the Women’s Strike for Equality . It was in that public space, during the first major demonstration of the modern women’s movement, that the world first heard activist Judy Brady Syfers publicly long for a wife.

“I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care,” the housewife from San Francisco read into the microphone, her hands shaking during her first time ever speaking in front of a crowd.

“I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after me,” she stated, appealing to all housewives around the country whose husbands took them for granted.

“I want a wife who takes care of the children when they are sick, a wife who arranges to be around when the children need special care, because, of course, I cannot miss classes at school,” said Brady Syfers, who was married to a professor at nearby San Francisco State.

“I was terrified,” Brady Syfers recalled in a 2007 NPR radio interview. “There were lots of hecklers — up near the stage I can remember hearing them as I read, which only egged me on.”

When she finished her list of sometimes sarcastic, sometimes funny, but very realistic demands, the crowd of women roared as they recognized themselves in her words. The short satire was mentioned in television, radio and newspaper reports about the demonstration across the country, she said in a 2005 taped interview with her daughter, Maia Syfers.

A mother's letter, a son's choice and the incredible moment women won the right to vote

After that exhilarating moment, the essay went on to define the women’s movement of the 1970s. It resurfaces often as a feminist classic — a treatise about an imbalance between the sexes that still resonates today as the country marks the 100th anniversary of suffrage.

Earlier this year, as parents struggled to home-school their children during the pandemic, the New York Times commissioned a poll by Morning Consult on the division of labor between couples. Nearly half of fathers with children younger than 12 said they were devoting more time to educating their kids than their spouses, but just 3 percent of women agreed with that assessment.

Fifty years ago, “Why I Want a Wife” started simply as a housewife’s complaints about the lack of recognition for women’s work.

In 1968, Brady Syfers was a faculty wife with two small children. The end of that year her husband got involved with a strike at his university, San Francisco State, that called for creating a Black and ethnic studies department at the majority White school.

Brady Syfers opened up her house as a fundraising headquarters for the strike . Week after week, she organized, fed and worked with the student and faculty strikers, from 7 in the morning until late into the night. For the first time in her life, Brady Syfers was politically active, and she loved it.

“It was exhilarating to be involved in something outside the four walls of my home,” she said in the NPR interview.

When the strike ended five months later — the longest student-led strike in U.S. higher education history — the Black Student Union had a meeting celebrating its win and to thank participants who worked on the strike. Her husband, James Syfers, was given a note of special thanks for raising money. But Brady Syfers was never mentioned.

Feeling angry and unappreciated, “I decided it was time for me to look for the women’s movement,” she said in the 2005 interview.

She found a nearby women’s consciousness-raising group at San Francisco’s Glide Memorial Church, where she met Pam Allen, now known as Chude Allen.

“When I first met Judy, she described herself as a disenfranchised and fired housewife,” Allen said in a phone interview. “She was angry.”

The more Brady Syfers began examining her role in society, the angrier she became. It wasn’t just being overlooked during the student strike. She had faced sexism her whole life.

During college at the University of Iowa, she studied painting and was quite talented, according to Maia Syfers. That’s where she met James Syfers, her future husband. After earning a BFA, she wanted to pursue a master’s degree. To do so, she had to go before a committee who would recommend her to further her studies. At the meeting, the all-male committee told her that she had the talent but that there wasn’t much purpose in going for a master’s — because no university would hire a woman.

She was devastated, her daughter said.

In consciousness-raising meetings at Glide, Brady Syfers began to describe what Betty Friedan’s pioneering book, “ The Feminine Mystique ,” called “the problem that has no name.”

“I was an isolated housewife who had never worked outside the house, and I was badly depressed, miserable and confused about it,” Brady Syfers said in 2007. “I had no idea why I was so depressed.”

Except for “The Feminine Mystique,” Brady Syfers said there was no language in the late 1960s to talk about female unhappiness.

“If you wanted to know anything about women, you went to the Ladies’ Home Journal. That’s all there was,” she said in 2007.

She explained that nothing was written for, by and about women’s collective experience — their history, their psychology, their daily lives. In 1969, the three-year-old National Organization for Women was still considered a small group, Brady Syfers said in 2005.

The bra-burning feminist trope started at Miss America. Except, that’s not what really happened.

The women’s movement of the early 1970s “was an outgrowth of the civil rights movement,” she said. “But it was very much kind of sub rosa. And of course, it was treated scathingly by men and the media.”

Consciousness-raising groups were mocked by men, but Brady Syfers said the sessions were defiant political acts.

Women around the country were pooling personal experiences to create a social, historical analysis of women’s condition. It was a revolution in thinking, she said. Soon a whole women’s press movement publishing feminist pamphlets and underground newspapers exploded around the country, led by the radical Redstockings group in New York.

It was at a consciousness-raising group that Brady Syfers began listing her grievances about the strains of being a housewife. As she talked, the list grew longer and longer until finally someone in the group challenged her to write it down.

So she went home and started writing. Two hours later, she had finished “Why I Want a Wife.” She presented it at the next group meeting, and members applauded. Brady Syfers was thrilled with the response.

“Why I Want a Wife” was first published in a Bay-area feminist underground newspaper called “Tooth and Nail,” according to Allen. The essay began being reprinted in other feminist underground presses across the country during 1970 and 1971.

Meanwhile, in New York activist Gloria Steinem and a group of feminists including Letty Cotton Pogrebin began collecting stories to include in a national magazine to unite and give voice to women’s liberation followers across the nation. In December 1971, the inaugural issue of Ms. Magazine appeared as an insert in New York magazine. That issue included “Why I Want a Wife.”

“We reprinted it so more readers could have the laughter and wisdom that comes from reversing unequal roles,” Steinem wrote in an email.

“I wish it weren’t still relevant but even though many marriages have become more equal, Judy’s words live on,” Steinem said.

“It had a seismic impact,” Pogrebin said in a phone interview. “It didn’t exaggerate what sex roles were all about. Women were expected to do it all.”

Pogrebin pointed out that the theme of “Why I Want a Wife,” which was changed to “I Want a Wife” in Ms., matched the cover of the inaugural issue, which showed a multi-handed Hindu goddess as a housewife juggling more tasks than were humanly possible.

After its publication in Ms., “Why I Want a Wife” became known around the world. “My mother always kind of joked a little bit about ‘Why I Want a Wife,’ because it became so popular,” Syfers said. “It’s paid royalties every year since it was published in Ms. and hundreds of books.”

Brady Syfers ended up getting a divorce years later and reverted to her original name, Judy Brady. She remained an activist in San Francisco the rest of her life, fighting for the rights of women, the disabled and breast cancer survivors. In May 2017, she died at age 80 and a memorial service at the Women’s Building in San Francisco celebrated her life of activism, Maia Syfers said.

“She was proud of ‘Why I Want a Wife,” but I think she was surprised at how iconic it became. She said it came right from her gut.”

I Want a Wife, The Wife Drought – 1970s feminism still rings true

PhD candidate, UNSW Sydney

Disclosure statement

Isobelle Barrett Meyering does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

UNSW Sydney provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

View all partners

Three years ago Annabel Crabb argued on ABC’s The Drum that a lack of wives is what really holds back women in the Australian workforce. She jokingly suggested that what was needed was a “wife quota”.

When my partner sent me a link to her column, I was more than pleased. Was he volunteering to be one of those men who would help fill the shortage? As a historian of 1970s feminism, I was also somewhat bemused.

Crabb’s article reminded me of a classic work of the American women’s movement written more than 40 years ago.

Judy Syfers’ short essay, I Want a Wife , was based on a speech Syfers (now Brady) delivered on August 26 1970 at a rally in San Francisco to mark the 50th anniversary of American women’s suffrage.

Syfers was a housewife, mother of two and recent recruit to the Californian women’s movement. Her essay began with a moment of revelation:

Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce.

Conveniently, his child was now living with his ex-wife and, free of parental obligations, he was on the lookout for a new wife. And so came Syfers’ moment of recognition:

As I thought about him while I was ironing one evening, it suddenly occurred to me that I, too, would like to have a wife.

Syfers’ essay became an instant feminist classic. It was reproduced in Notes from the Third Year (1971), an important anthology of feminist works edited by New York activists Anne Koedt and Shulamith Firestone.

It also featured in the preview issue of the popular feminist magazine, Ms., which sold out in eight days after it was released on 20 December 1971.

And 40 years later, here was Crabb making much the same point. Since then, Crabb has gone on to write The Wife Drought , released in late September. Filled with personal anecdotes of juggling three kids and a career many would envy, the book is witty, heartfelt and informed by the latest research.

With her common touch and broad appeal, Crabb has made a timely contribution to the work-life debate.

But when I finally sat down to read The Wife Drought last week I was not so much bemused as bewildered to discover that it too contained not a single reference to I Want a Wife. Most reviewers of the book likewise seemed oblivious to the connection.

Only feminist stalwart Wendy McCarthy, one of the founding members of the New South Wales branch of the Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) in 1972, seemed to know about Syfers’ article. Reviewing The Wife Drought for Anne Summers Reports, she reminisced over reading I Want a Wife for the first time.

Of all the articles in the original edition of Ms., it was “the piece that spoke to me”, McCarthy explained.

I was pregnant with my third child and working out the logistics of being wife, mother, teacher and community activist. Dear God, I needed a wife.

Writing in October this year, McCarthy found Crabb’s book “as loveable” as Syfers’ article, if “eerily scary that so little and yet so much has changed”.

If, like me, she was slightly perturbed that Syfers’ article seems to have been forgotten, she didn’t say so. To set the record straight, this is what Syfers had to say in 1971.

Like Crabb, Syfers set out to expose the taken for granted status of women’s work in the home. She set her sights not only on the invisibility of housework and childcare, but on the emotional and sexual labour of wives. Written in the early years of women’s liberation, the article was more scathing in its tone than The Wife Drought.

Husbands, it implied, were selfish, lazy and ungrateful. They were self-absorbed and altogether uninterested in their own children. To take just a few examples:

I want a wife who will take care of my physical needs. I want a wife who will keep my house clean. A wife who will pick up after my children, a wife who will pick up after me … I want a wife who will take care of the details of my social life … When I meet people at school that I like and want to entertain, I want a wife who will have the house clean, will prepare a special meal, serve it to me and my friends, and not interrupt when I talk about things that interest me and my friends … I want a wife who is sensitive to my sexual needs, a wife who makes love passionately and eagerly when I feel like it, a wife who makes sure that I am satisfied. And, of course, I want a wife who will not demand sexual attention when I am not in the mood for it …

The list of demands was relentless.

And the final punch line?

Wives, Syfers warned, were replaceable.

If, by chance, I find another person more suitable as a wife than the wife I already have, I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one.

I Want a Wife was a cutting piece of satire and the depiction of men was far from flattering.

Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised that Syfers’ piece has been since overlooked. The failure to make a connection between Syfers’ article and Crabb’s The Wife Drought is symptomatic of a wider pattern in popular debate about feminism.

It reflects a tendency to forget past feminisms or, worse, misrepresent them – what historian Natasha Campo describes as the process of “re-remembering” feminism.

Tracing Australian media views of feminism from 1980 onwards, Campo has shown how key tenets of 1970s feminism have been misconstrued.

Feminists were blamed for telling women that they could “have it all” – a claim, as Campo points out, that was more a product of British journalist Shirley Conran’s bestseller Superwoman (1975) than of the organised women’s movement.

Ideas such as equal parenting, which had long been espoused by feminists, came to be presented as “new” solutions.

To her credit, Crabb is much more fair-minded in her treatment of past feminisms. For the most part, she refrains from blaming previous generations for the challenges now faced by women who seek to combine work and family. She also brings a historical sensibility to her work, examining past obstacles to gender equality such as the marriage bar in the public service, which remained in place federally until 1966.

Nonetheless, there is a missed opportunity here to link current dilemmas with those illuminated by feminists like Syfers in the 1970s. The parallel between Crabb’s The Wife Drought and Syfers’ I Want a Wife is a poignant reminder that the insights of 1970s feminism still have much to offer those concerned about gender inequality.

Some ideas may now be outdated and some may be outlandish. But many, like Syfers’ I Want a Wife, continue to ring true today.

Who knows what other feminist ideas might be overdue for a comeback?

Annabel Crabb

Faculty of Law - Academic Appointment Opportunities

Operations Manager

Senior Education Technologist

Audience Development Coordinator (fixed-term maternity cover)

Lecturer (Hindi-Urdu)

Family Issues in “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady Essay (Article Review)

What is the article about?

The article is about family issues. It resembles soap operas.

What is the style of the article?

The style of writing was descriptive writing. I think so because it focused on describing the character (wife). It was also poetic and the desirable wife was described in detail.

What is the tone of the article?

The tone of the article was depressing. This is so because the author seems to be in deep thought and facing serious difficulties that lead her to consider getting a ‘wife’.

List at least 10 vocabularies that you are interested in or hardly understand

The vocabularies included nurturant, hours, d’oeuvres, rambling, replenish, clutter, liberty, intellectual, adherence, and monogamy.

Summary of the article

In the first paragraph, the author clarified that she was a wife and a mother. In the second paragraph, she talks of a man she met recently. The man had been recently divorced and was looking for another wife. This is where the thought of having a wife came to the author. In the third paragraph, the author explained the reasons why she needed a wife. She was thinking of furthering her studies and becoming financially stable. She also needed a wife that would take care of the children’s needs. This individual had to ensure that the children were well fed and clothed. The children’s social needs also had to be addressed.

In the fourth paragraph, the author argued that she needed a wife that would take care of her physical needs. The individual had to do her house chores, ensure that her clothes were clean, ironed, and mended, cook her meals, and do the shopping. She also needed that person who would go on vacation with her family and take care of them whenever they need. In the fifth paragraph, the author explained that she needed a wife who would simply work and not complain about her duties. She also needed to be a good listener so that she would listen to her as she presents her issues.

In the sixth paragraph, the author needed a wife who would take care of her social life. This included taking care of her children as she went to meet her friends. She was also to attend to the visitors that came visiting. In the seventh paragraph, the author expressed her desire to have a wife that would take care of her sexual needs. The wife had to be faithful and understanding. In the eighth paragraph, the author elaborates that she needs the freedom to exchange the wife for any other suitable one. In the ninth paragraph, she expects the wife to quit working when she clears school. The wife would take care of all duties. Finally, she wonders who would not want a wife.

What kind of reader do you think the author was writing for?

I think the author was writing mainly to young single mothers. This is so because she talks of a wife and a mother. From the way she presents her ideas, she appears to be a single mother since she was thinking of a recently divorced man and empathized with him. She seems to be going through the same thing the man is going through. The struggles of a single mother seem to be highlighted in detail. These include the responsibilities of raising children and the need to get space that would allow her to do other things besides taking care of her children. She feels like her social life has been affected since she does not have adequate time with her friends.

Do you agree or disagree with the author’s opinion? What does the author want to inform us? Do you think the author is trying to convince the reader to do or feel something?

I agreed with some of the author’s ideas but disagreed with the one to do with seeking sexual fulfillment from the wife and demanding freedom to replace the wife for another. This is a persuasive article since the author is trying to convince the reader to feel something. The author is trying to convince the readers about the importance of having a wife. She does this by presenting an argument while establishing facts to support it. She was trying to convince the reader to agree with her judgment and to adopt her way of thinking about women in her situation. It is a persuasive essay since it was quite convincing. She was confident in putting across her ideas and values.

The author also tried to persuade the reader to adopt her way of thinking by writing from the reader’s perspective. This way, she was able to catch the reader’s attention. She finished by asking why anyone would not want to have a wife. This highlights that the values placed for a wife were those that anyone would want to have. Surely, anyone would want to have such a wife – who would do all you want her to do but at the same time give you the space that you need.

The hardest paragraph to understand

The hardest paragraph to understand was the ninth one. This is because she seems to be talking about two different people when referring to the wife. She says that she wants a wife who will take care of her wife’s duties.

I Want a Wife. Judy Brady.

Chicago (A-D)
Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, June 8). Family Issues in "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-want-a-wife-article-by-judy-brady/

"Family Issues in "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady." IvyPanda , 8 June 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/i-want-a-wife-article-by-judy-brady/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Family Issues in "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady'. 8 June.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Family Issues in "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady." June 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-want-a-wife-article-by-judy-brady/.

1. IvyPanda . "Family Issues in "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady." June 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-want-a-wife-article-by-judy-brady/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Family Issues in "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady." June 8, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/i-want-a-wife-article-by-judy-brady/.

Gender Studies: "I Want a Wife" by Judy Brady
I Need a Wife by Judy Brady
Swift’s “A Modest Proposal” and Brady’s “I Want a Wife”
Gender Roles in Brady's and Theroux's Works
Gender Roles in Brady’s “Why I Want a Wife” and Sacks’ “Stay-at-Home Dads”
Brady Campaign: Preventing Gun Violence
Brady Act Homicide and Suicide Associated Rates
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act
"I Want a Wife" by Brady
Why I Want a Wife
Advices for a Happy Marriage Life
Marriage: The Good, the Bad, and the Greedy
Traditional Marriage and Love Marriage Comparison
Same-Sex Marriage National Legalization
White Wedding Traditions in American Culture

Feminism in the 21st Century: Revisiting “I Want a Wife”

This essay is about the evolution of feminism in the 21st century, focusing on the reexamination of Judy Brady’s iconic piece “I Want A Wife.” It delves into how modern feminism has expanded beyond Brady’s original vision, addressing intersectionality, gender fluidity, and inclusivity. The essay explores the ongoing relevance of Brady’s satire in the context of contemporary feminist discourse, highlighting the progress made and the challenges that remain. Through critical analysis and real-world examples, it underscores the need for continued activism and advocacy to achieve true gender equality.

At PapersOwl too, you can discover numerous free essay illustrations related to I Want A Wife.

How it works

In the ever-evolving landscape of feminism, Judy Brady’s seminal piece “I Want A Wife” continues to resonate profoundly. Originally published in 1971, Brady’s satirical essay provided a scathing critique of gender roles and inequalities within marriage. Now, in the 21st century, the echoes of her words reverberate louder than ever as feminism adapts to new challenges and complexities.

Brady’s essay, although written over five decades ago, still serves as a mirror reflecting the enduring struggles faced by women in society.

Her tongue-in-cheek depiction of the ideal wife as a selfless, subservient figure highlights the societal expectations placed upon women to fulfill domestic roles without question. Despite significant advancements in gender equality since Brady’s time, many of these expectations persist today, albeit often in subtler forms.

One of the most striking aspects of “I Want A Wife” is its portrayal of marriage as an institution inherently biased towards men. Brady’s wife character embodies the epitome of self-sacrifice, catering to her husband’s every need while receiving little in return. This portrayal underscores the unequal power dynamics that have historically characterized many heterosexual relationships. While strides have been made towards more equitable partnerships, the persistence of gendered divisions of labor and the enduring prevalence of issues such as the gender pay gap demonstrate that the unequal distribution of power within relationships remains a pressing feminist concern.

Moreover, Brady’s essay sheds light on the pervasive societal expectation for women to prioritize their husband’s needs above their own. The wife’s role as a caregiver, housekeeper, and emotional support system is depicted as all-encompassing, leaving little room for her own ambitions or desires. In the 21st century, while many women have gained greater autonomy and agency in their lives, the pressure to conform to traditional gender roles still exerts a powerful influence. Women continue to face societal scrutiny and judgment for prioritizing their careers or personal goals over marriage and motherhood, highlighting the enduring struggle for women to assert their autonomy in a patriarchal society.

Furthermore, Brady’s essay prompts us to consider the intersectionality of feminism and the ways in which gender inequality intersects with other forms of oppression. While “I Want A Wife” primarily focuses on the experiences of white, heterosexual women, feminism in the 21st century has increasingly embraced an intersectional approach, acknowledging the unique challenges faced by women of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds. This intersectional lens reminds us that the fight for gender equality cannot be divorced from broader struggles for social justice and equity.

As we revisit “I Want A Wife” in the 21st century, it serves as a reminder of both how far we have come and how far we have yet to go in the pursuit of gender equality. While progress has undoubtedly been made, the persistence of gender stereotypes, systemic inequalities, and entrenched power structures necessitate continued activism and advocacy. Feminism in the 21st century must confront these challenges head-on, challenging traditional gender norms, amplifying marginalized voices, and striving towards a more just and equitable society for all. As we reflect on Brady’s words, let us not only honor the progress that has been made but also recommit ourselves to the ongoing struggle for gender equality in all its forms.

Cite this page

Feminism in the 21st Century: Revisiting "I Want A Wife". (2024, Mar 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/feminism-in-the-21st-century-revisiting-i-want-a-wife/

"Feminism in the 21st Century: Revisiting "I Want A Wife"." PapersOwl.com , 1 Mar 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/feminism-in-the-21st-century-revisiting-i-want-a-wife/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Feminism in the 21st Century: Revisiting "I Want A Wife" . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/feminism-in-the-21st-century-revisiting-i-want-a-wife/ [Accessed: 12 Apr. 2024]

"Feminism in the 21st Century: Revisiting "I Want A Wife"." PapersOwl.com, Mar 01, 2024. Accessed April 12, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/feminism-in-the-21st-century-revisiting-i-want-a-wife/

"Feminism in the 21st Century: Revisiting "I Want A Wife"," PapersOwl.com , 01-Mar-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/feminism-in-the-21st-century-revisiting-i-want-a-wife/. [Accessed: 12-Apr-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto

Judy Brady’s I Want a Wife is a feminist manifesto that dissects the early 1970s’ social stereotypes about the role of women in marriage and motherhood. Using rhetorical language, she paints a rather impressive new perspective of the seemingly familiar and clichéd picture of a married woman. Her essay is a pure satire that represents an unpleasant aspect of the society’s ubiquitous consumer behavior towards women and their value. With a brilliant and humorous writing, Brady uncovers a cultural misconception of woman’s main role in life. Moreover, she decides to condemn the men’s opinion on the matter, ultimately persuading both men and women to notice the heavy toll of masculine privileges. The author intends to make a deep impact on society’s view of gender roles and how unjustly the responsibilities are divided. Throughout her essay, Brady uses numerous rhetorical strategies to achieve these goals. The mocking and humorous tone of the essay illustrates author’s heartfelt beliefs that the social issue of gender unfairness truly exists. She strives to leave a lasting impact engraved in her readers’ minds to ponder on every time the topic comes up in their future conversations.

It is clear that Brady tells her audience right away her position on the matter by stating “I belong to that classification of people known as wives” as her opening line (1). She hooks her readers, using emotions and sympathy to take over her desired audience’s attention without hesitation. After her second statement “And, not altogether incidentally, I am a mother” (1), the obviousness of the stereotype that Brady is now pointing out rises into the question, calling to the women who do not wish to uphold that standard. Of course, a man has the right to have children, acidly comments Brady, and his wife must obey his wish – she is his property, after all. From there on, she describes rather harshly all the reasons why she would like to have a wife. The author recalls each of the particular expectations placed on women in general and gives the mocking impression that these specific responsibilities are the only purpose in life for any woman. It almost feels like to the reader that Brady agrees with men on how a proper wife should behave.

However, the reader only needs to follow the author a little further to understand that she, in fact, despises masculine point of view. Using simple statements and almost Aristotelian logic, Brady depicts the conflict behind the sorority’s roles in society: how demanding yet self-degrading they are becoming. The author lists women’s responsibilities somewhat sporadically, apparently out of order of importance. Her list ranges from emphasizing maternal responsibilities, outlining mandatory housewife chores, to the sexual life expectations men place on the married women, without structuring it. Respectively, this leads to a “ranting” impression of her essay, which reflects the author’s point of view. However, what Brady truly seeks to achieve is for her male readers to constantly read this phrase and see how ridiculous their demands are. The author ends her essay with a rhetorical yet deep question “My God, who wouldn’t want a wife?” (2) that asks the reader to reflect on the answer. This awareness is the glue that holds her whole argument together. Finally, a potentially life-changing paragraph concludes the essay, calling the readers to analyze not only the society’s rotten view on the women’s value, but their own judgement on the matter, too.

Works Cited

Brady, Judy. I Want a Wife , Ms. Magazine, 1972, pp. 1–2.

Cite this paper

Chicago (N-B)
Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2022, August 2). Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto. https://studycorgi.com/judy-bradys-i-want-a-wife-as-feminist-manifesto/

"Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto." StudyCorgi , 2 Aug. 2022, studycorgi.com/judy-bradys-i-want-a-wife-as-feminist-manifesto/.

StudyCorgi . (2022) 'Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto'. 2 August.

1. StudyCorgi . "Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto." August 2, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/judy-bradys-i-want-a-wife-as-feminist-manifesto/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto." August 2, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/judy-bradys-i-want-a-wife-as-feminist-manifesto/.

StudyCorgi . 2022. "Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto." August 2, 2022. https://studycorgi.com/judy-bradys-i-want-a-wife-as-feminist-manifesto/.

This paper, “Judy Brady’s “I Want a Wife” as Feminist Manifesto”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: August 2, 2022 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Science & Math
Sociology & Philosophy
Law & Politics

Rhetoric Analysis “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady

Rhetoric Analysis “I Want a…

Judy Brady’s essay I Want a Wife generally applies several anecdotes to explore the demands of being a wife and gender roles and expectations. Speaking from her own experience, Brady is bitter about how demanding being a wife is and how the same demands are not expected of men. Overall, Brady’s concern is that the imbalance between gender roles and exaggerated expectations leaves women disadvantaged, hence emphasizing gender inequality within families and in society.

Brady applies satire to address the burdens of being a wife and make her argument compelling to evoke engagement in the audience. Besides, the author’s style and article’s structure combine ethos, pathos, and logos to address the overall theme of female suppression in society. Therefore, the author successfully appeals to the readers’ emotions, reason, and values, which garners sympathy for the author and women, especially when gender equality, women empowerment or suffrage, and the civil rights movement were a priority for society.

The author appeals to pathos to persuade the reader by purposely evoking sympathy and making them feel what the author feels about women being overburdened. Brady uses personal experience and a satirical tone to discuss the exaggerated expectations society expects from wives. The author’s concern is motivated by how easy it is for men to move into new marriages because they do not bear the same burdens and responsibilities as women.

Brady writes, “Not too long ago a male friend of mine appeared on the scene fresh from a recent divorce. He had one child, who is, of course, with his ex-wife. He is looking for another wife” (Brady). The male friend’s situation makes Brady realize that men expect so much from wives as the family’s support system, who have to take care of children, address familial needs, manage the household, and support the husband to achieve his dreams. The societal expectation of a wife to multitask and be indispensable to the man and the family is the source of Brady’s frustration, inviting the audience to see things from her point of view by appealing to pathos throughout the essay.

Brady also appeals to logic by appealing to the reader’s sense of reason particularly by providing facts. The examples the author provides are suitable for the overall argument and fit perfectly in the 1970s when the article was written. Men and society have various perspectives on the roles and responsibilities of wives even if the expectations suppress women more than men. Brady argues that marriage transforms men and women differently and the transformation disfavors the latter more. Women must take care of household duties, seek opinions from their husbands, fulfill all needs, be available and supportive, and be responsible wives.

The 1970s saw much of the women’s rights movement’s efforts and marches focus on pushing for gender equality in universities and workplaces. Feminists specifically sought more hospitable spaces for women and created more policies to create equal opportunities and ban sexual harassment. I Want a Wife contributed to the women’s suffrage protests in this period, although on a different front. The author’s realistic demands resonated with many women and defined the women’s movement as a feminist classic that highlighted gender imbalance, a problem that persists today.

Furthermore, the author appeals to credibility by tapping into the readers’ ideologies and values, especially dignity for all, feminism, and equality. Brady explores the various roles in different sectors in the essay but maintains the words “I want a wife” for each to highlight the sarcasm and humor to maintain the essay’s overall objective to sensitize the audience about female suppression. In the introduction, Brady uses her personal experience to get the audience to understand her general argument and to make her feelings about the issue known. In paragraph one Brady lists the maternal roles of a wife, including being an excellent nurturant, organizing the children’s social life, and addressing the children’s health needs, among others.

The second paragraph addresses the wife’s domestic roles, like cleaning the house, keeping clothes clean, ironing grocery shopping, and relieving her husband’s stress and pain. The third paragraph explores the wife’s mechanical responsibilities, where she has to understand and explain her husband’s difficulties and type papers the husband writes. In paragraph 4, Brady explains the social roles and expectations, including playing hostess to her husband’s friends, meeting the man’s acquaintances, and not interrupting conversations.

The sixth paragraph explores the wife’s sexual responsibilities, such as sexually satisfying the man, birth control, and remaining faithful. Lastly, Brady discusses the woman’s disposable or replaceable role in case the husband wants a new partner, including raising the children independently (Brady). The structure allows Brady to explore women as unequal partners in marriage and contribute extensively to the female suppression theme.

In conclusion, Brady combines personal experience, logic, and values to discuss a prevalent societal issue in I Want a Wife. Throughout history, society has laid out gender roles and expectations that favor men and suppress women. I Want a Wife is among feminists and women’s suffrage efforts to achieve gender equality and female empowerment. The essay, therefore, achieves the author’s overall objective of enlightening the audience about female suppression within the marriage scope and persuading them to see from her point of view to incentivize sympathy.

Brady, Judy. “Why I want a wife.” 75 Readings: An Anthology (1972): 325-327.

Kay Boyle’s The Astronomer's Wife: Analysis
Shakespeare’s Macbeth: History & Analysis
Amendment #14: Analysis
My last Duchess: Analysis
Beowulf: Summary & Analysis

Author: William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

By signing up, you agree to the our terms and our Privacy Policy agreement.

A Horseman in the Sky by Ambrose Bierce: Bed First Year English

The spanish church: bed first summary and questions, leaving by m.g vassanji: class 12 optional english.

Judy Brady’s I Want a Wife: Summary and Theme: BBS First

The theme of Judy Brady’s I Want a Wife

In Judy Brady’s I Want a Wife, the author talks about all the responsibilities you fulfill as a wife and mother, and then how you want someone to do the housework. She wants a wife because She wants to be independent.

The writer is not happy with what she is doing as a wife. She takes care of her children, does household chores, and takes care of her husband. Her speaker wants to have more time for herself and become an independent woman. Her desire for women comes after her recently divorced friend of hers listed everything a woman needs to do for him. She laments that she is expected to cook, clean, look after children, and please her husband in romantic ways. She doesn’t want to do that anymore and wants to live a life with a wife of her own. When she gets tired of this woman, she starts looking for a new woman who will take over all the duties of her previous woman.

Brady’s essays use satire, irony, and hyperbole to draw attention to these issues and call for changes in societal expectations and gender roles.

Summary of Judy Brady’s I Want a Wife

I Want a Wife is a 1971 essay by Judy Brady for Feminist magazine. This essay is a satirical and sarcastic commentary on society’s expectations of women, especially regarding marriage and domestic responsibilities.

In her essay, Brady lists various responsibilities and duties that women typically perform, such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare. She further argues that while men are expected to have wives who tend to those needs, women are similarly not expected to have husbands who care for them. It uses it to highlight the double standards and inequalities that exist in society’s expectations of men and women.

Throughout her essays, Brady uses a combination of humor, sarcasm and hyperbole to get her point across. For example, she writes that she wants a woman who “takes care of her physical needs” and “keep her house clean” so she can “focus on her studies and career development.” She also wrote that she wanted a woman who “served my social needs” and “kept me up to date on current affairs” while at the same time being “attractive and a good conversationalist.”

In conclusion, the essay argues that society’s expectations of men and women are different and that the traditional roles of men and women are often unfair and unjust. , helped raise awareness of the problems women faced in the 1970s, such as the expectation that women should be in charge of household chores and the lack of opportunities women faced in the job market. It continues to be read and researched and makes a strong call for gender equality and a fair division of household chores.

Issue of Gender Inequality in I Want a Wife

A key issue that Judy Brady raises in her essay I Want a Wife is gender inequality and what society expects of men and women. While women grapple with the expectation that they should have wives to take care of their own needs and do household chores, women are likewise not expected to have husbands to take care of themselves.

Brady also highlights the lack of opportunities for women in the workforce and the societal expectation that women should be responsible for household chores.She expects men to share household responsibilities equally. I wonder why it is not and why women are not given the same opportunities as men in the world of work.

In summary, the main issues Brady raises in her essay are gender inequality and social expectations placed on men and women, and how these expectations translate into lack of opportunities and unequal distribution of work at home.

Important questions of “I Want a Wife”

1. Why are social expectations and gender roles so unequal, that men are expected to have wives who meet their needs and take care of the housework, while women are expected to have husbands who look after them? Aren’t we equally expected to have

2. Why is it that a woman is expected to do all the household chores and take care of her husband and children, but a man is not expected to do the same?

3. How do these societal expectations and gender roles contribute to lack of opportunities and unequal distribution of work at home?

4. Why aren’t women getting the same opportunities as men in the world of work and society?

5. How these societal expectations and gender roles affect the lives of men and women, and how we can change that for the betterment of society.

How to write product information bbs first business english, summary of daniel engber’s let them drink water, summary of alex tabarrok’s the meat market.

Hello Guys, Glad to Join! 🙂

Hey everyone! I’ve just stumbled upon an fantastic website that’s all about cryptocurrency exchanges. If you’re interested in trading cryptocurrencies, this might be the ideal spot for you!

The site ( https://cryptoairdrops.ru/ ) offers in-depth analysis of various crypto exchanges, including the ins and outs of their trading platforms, security protocols, supported coins, and overall reliability. Whether you’re a novice just starting out or an experienced trader, there’s something for everyone.

What I found particularly useful was their side-by-side comparisons, which made it super easy to evaluate different exchanges and find the one that best fits my needs. They also cover the latest developments in the crypto world, which keeps you up-to-date on all the latest happenings.

If you’re looking into diversifying your portfolio, I highly recommend checking this site out. It’s an invaluable resource that can help you make informed decisions in the volatile world of cryptocurrency.

Let’s make the most of this resource and help each other out! Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences with different exchanges as well.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

No thanks, I’m not interested.

Literal Analysis of “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady

Pssst… we can write an original essay just for you.

Any subject. Any type of essay. We’ll even meet a 3-hour deadline.

writers online

“I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady was published in 1971 when the feminist movement was a strong political force. The role of women in the home has been a point of great debate since the establishment of the feminist movement up to date. The author of the essay, Brady is a female, and she expresses how the rights of the women are neglected in the community by being overburdened by house responsibilities. In “I Want a Wife,” Brady focuses on the subject of traditional roles of a wife within the home set up. Brady’s audience is women, and she sheds light on women in the unfairness that exist in the role of women and husbands in a marriage relationship. The topic of the role of women is relevant in the modern world in ensuring that gender equality is attained. Judy Brady uses satire, humor and other literal devices to encompass the notion that wives are slaves to their husbands.

Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page

In her feminist essay, Judy Brady uses satirical tone through the whole piece to shed light on how some husbands mistreat their wives by assigning them excess extra housework. According to the essay, wives should do all the housework without any support from the husband or house helps (Beck, 117). The wife is expected to keep the house clean, clean the children, to feed the children, and to take care of the children medical needs. Also, the author highlights that the wife is responsible for providing all the needs of the children. “ Needless to say, my wife will arrange and pay for the care of the children while my wife is working” (Brady, 775). The statement shows how wives are taken as slaves by their husbands by being forced to perform all the house activities that include taking care of the children, and at the same time working. Since the publishing of the essay, the essay remains significant to modern society as the housework is burdening the wives in marriage The author of the essay states how women are forced to miss their jobs so that they perform physical house activities. “My wife can arrange to lose time at work and not the job.” The author states that she cannot miss her class, but her wife should miss some job time to take care of the children and some other home activities. The author uses these illustrations to indicate how wives are misused in the community by being burdened with all the family’s responsibilities. Judy Brady in her essay uses diction to ensure that the role of women in the community is properly understood by her audience.

The author uses diction in the essay to avoid complex jargon so that the importance of feminism movement is clearly understood by her audience. The main aim of Judy’s essay was to shed some light to her audience who were the women on how their husbands were misusing them due to lack of strong feminism movements. The author shows how a lack of organizations to advocate for the rights of the female gender affects the economy of a society. The economy of the country depends on how the community works fair in their jobs. Judy shows how wives are forced to miss their jobs so that they can perform other house daily chores. “My wife can arrange to lose time at work and not the job” (Brady, 775. The author uses this statement to show how husbands overload their wives with house chores such that they cannot make an appearance at workplaces, which affects the economy if the country. Also, the author in her essay “Why I Want a Wife” shows how husbands violated the rights of the women in the society where feminism movements do not exist. The author reveals how wives in the community are expected to work so hard to ensure the comfort of their husbands who do not even respect the wives. In the essay, the author shows how husbands expect their wives to be faithful. “I want a wife who will remain sexually faithful to me so that I do not have to clutter up my intellectual life with jealousness.” In the other hand, the husbands do not expect their wives to bother about their social lives. “I want the liberty to replace my present wife with another one.” The statements show how women are treated as minors in the community where they do not have any say rather than to obey what their husbands say. Feminism movements are essential in ensuring that the rights of women in the community are obeyed. The author uses statements and illustrations in the essay “Why I Want a Wife” to show how a lack of feminism movements crates gender inequality in the community. The author uses different paragraphs to separate her ideas on how women are being mistreated in society.

In the essay “I Want a Wife” by Judy Brady, the author organizes her about the role of women by use of paragraphs. Each paragraph in the essay addresses a specific idea about the role of wives in a marriage set-up. Brady uses a topic sentence at the start of each paragraph, which helps her audience to know the issue being addressed in each paragraph. The first sentence in each paragraph declares the topic of the paragraph. Paragraph one discusses how wives support those who are dependent upon them. Brady narrates that she wants a wife who will be able to provide all the needs of her children. In the second paragraph, the author discusses how the wife should take care of the family’s physical needs. The topic sentence of the second paragraph is “I Want a wife who will take care of my physical needs” (Brady, 776) The author then goes ahead to discuss the physical needs that she expects her wife to take care. In paragraph four, the essay states how the wife should react toward the social life of the author. The author then goes ahead to discuss in the sexual needs she requires from the wife. Therefore, Judy Brady uses different paragraphs to discuss her ideas towards the role of the wives in the community. The author uses satire, repetition and other literal devices in the essay “I Want a Wife” to emphasize the key points.

In summary, the essay “I Want a Wife” was published in 1971 when the feminist movement had become a strong political force. The author of the essay, Judy Brady, played an important role in 1960’s feminism movement. The aim of the essay was to show women the need for feminism movements by highlighting how the rights of women are being neglected. In the essay, Judy Brady shows how the rights of women are neglected by being overburdened by all the responsibilities of the family. Satire, repetition, and exaggeration are literal devices used in the essay to emphasize the notion that wives are slaves to their husbands. The clause “I want a wife” is repeatedly used in the essay to emphasize the duties expected on wives. The author uses satirical tone in her essay to show unfairness that exists in the division of home roles between wives and husbands.

Remember! This is just a sample.

Save time and get your custom paper from our expert writers.

In case you can’t find a sample example, our professional writers are ready to help you with writing your own paper. All you need to do is fill out a short form and submit an order

Home / Essay Samples / Literature / I Want a Wife / The Meaning Of Being A Wife In I Want A Wife By Judy Brady

The Meaning Of Being A Wife In I Want A Wife By Judy Brady

Category: Literature
Topic: I Want a Wife

Pages: 2 (980 words)

Downloads: -->

--> ⚠️ Remember: This essay was written and uploaded by an--> click here.

Found a great essay sample but want a unique one?

are ready to help you with your essay

You won’t be charged yet!

Things Fall Apart Essays

The Story of An Hour Essays

Into The Wild Essays

Fahrenheit 451 Essays

Catcher in The Rye Essays

Related Essays

We are glad that you like it, but you cannot copy from our website. Just insert your email and this sample will be sent to you.

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Your essay sample has been sent.

In fact, there is a way to get an original essay! Turn to our writers and order a plagiarism-free paper.

samplius.com uses cookies to offer you the best service possible.By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .--> -->