Seagull, I understand that you were in a difficult situation. I just don't think that it is accurate to imply that your experiences are the norm. Though I would agree that traditionally your experiences hold true. The gap is really closing on that one. More women graduate from college now than men. After that, in graduate schools women are an overwhelming majority. I had a professor in college that told us he had to allow a few less qualified men into a graduate program in a sort of reverse affirmative action. Women are quickly becoming the breadwinners in households with post-graduate educations.
As far as nesting is concerned. Again in upper ses circles the problem now seems to be that women are having problems concieving because they have put their careers first and ran out of childbearing years. In my partners profession (psychology) it's really looked down upon to leave your career to have children. It's seen as a sort of Stepford wife sort of thing.
There's a solution to all of this though. Pre-nuptual agreements. Even though we all go into a marriage super happy and thinking it will last forever, that's often not the case. As a society I think it's time to start looking at marriage as what it acctuallly is, a legal document. Even though marriage has religion intertwined in much of it's history, I would argue that marriage is now nothing but a legal partnership. Much like entering into business with someone (that you want to have sex with
). Religion is just injected for sentimental reasons. That's why I never really understood the opposition to gay marriage. It's just a legal partnership.
Now, as a legal partnership why in the hell wouldn't someone have a pre-nup. I wouldn't enter into a business with someone if it was possible for them to take half of my wealth. Why would someone do it in a marriage.