I had heard of the film The Stepford Wives and knew it was inspired by Ira Levin’s book, but I didn’t delve deeper until I tuned into the You’re Wrong About podcast, which examines pop culture phenomena from the past. The insightful hosts, Jamie and Alex, bring a delightful humor to their discussions.
The episode on The Stepford Wives explored the satirical essence of Levin’s work, highlighting how it critiques societal expectations of women and mothers. At its core, the story revolves around Joanna Eberhart, a photographer and young mother who relocates to an idyllic Connecticut town. As she navigates her new surroundings, Joanna notices that the other mothers appear strangely robotic, seemingly lacking any ambition beyond household chores and their families. These once vibrant women, who were once activists and professionals, have devolved into domestic drones. After investigating, Joanna and her friend uncover a shocking truth: these wives are being replaced by lifelike robots, designed to prioritize homemaking and submission over individuality.
While this may seem like far-fetched fiction, the reality is that women have long been chemically subdued to fit neatly into societal molds. Enter “Mother’s Little Helper,” the tranquilizers that became popular in the mid-20th century. With immense pressure to conform to domestic ideals or excel in a man’s world, many women found themselves overwhelmed. Sound familiar? As feminism gained traction in the 1960s and 70s, psychotropic medications emerged as a solution for women’s dissatisfaction. Miltown, a mild tranquilizer, was one of the first drugs marketed specifically to women, promising relief from anxiety and stress.
Miltown was marketed as a way to help women feel more relaxed and responsive, with one doctor claiming in a 1956 Cosmopolitan article that “frigid women who abhorred marital relations reported they responded more readily to their husbands’ advances,” after taking it. Seriously? This was a blatant way for men to drug their wives into submission. Instead of addressing women’s real needs for support and independence, society opted for pills to help mothers get through their day.
While I believe in the importance of mental health treatment, including medication when necessary, the approach taken in the past was flawed. Women were, and often still are, viewed as overly emotional and irrational, leading to the over-prescription of medication like benzodiazepines, including Valium and Xanax. These substances were celebrated as “happy pills,” yet they came with serious risks, including addiction. Today, it remains common for women to be prescribed these medications more frequently than men, while the stigma surrounding mental health issues continues to linger.
Feminism, while noble in its aims, still faces challenges in achieving true gender equality. The power dynamics often favor cisgender white men, who may unintentionally perpetuate the cycle of oppression. Even well-meaning men might support their partners’ independence but pull back when their comfort is threatened.
The expectation that women can maintain their careers while managing household responsibilities and child-rearing is still prevalent. Even the most supportive partners often fall into the trap of waiting for their wives to delegate tasks instead of taking the initiative to help.
Today, while prescription medications remain a concern for many women—especially postpartum—they are often overshadowed by the increasing normalization of alcohol consumption. Society has made it trendy to offer “Mommy Juice” as a coping mechanism for the stresses of motherhood. Products marketed as recovery solutions promise to make mornings easier for moms recovering from a night of drinking, which only exacerbates the issue.
We must address the root causes of women’s struggles in motherhood rather than masking them with substances. The patriarchy is a significant contributor to gender disparities, but women also need to recognize the harm in seeking solace in addictive behaviors. Supportive friendships, self-care, and therapy should be prioritized over numbing with substances. Women should empower each other to seek freedom instead of compliance.
I encourage women to explore options for self-care and seek professional help when needed, but no one should have to rely on constant escapes from reality to cope with life’s demands.
For more insights on this topic, check out our other blog post here. You can also find valuable information about the home insemination process at Make a Mom and a detailed overview of intrauterine insemination here.
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Summary: This article explores the historical context of how society has often medicated mothers to suppress their dissatisfaction and maintain compliance. It critiques the over-prescription of medications and the cultural normalization of alcohol as coping mechanisms for motherhood. The piece calls for a reevaluation of how we support women and encourages self-care and empowerment rather than reliance on substances.
Keyphrase: Medicating Mothers
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