Why does it seem like so many men don’t receive alimony following
a divorce? If you’ve ever pondered this yourself, the statistics
actually support such preconceived notions. It may boggle your mind to
know that of the 400,000 individuals in the United States whom receive
post-divorce spousal support, a mere 3 percent are men – according
to recent Census figures.
It’s a bit of data that doesn’t seem to add up, especially
when you consider that nearly 40 percent of women can be considered the
breadwinners of their households. So what gives? Why are so many men who
clearly could be considered eligible for alimony seldom cashing out? The
answer could simply be boiled down to gender roles, as most attorneys
might tell you.
Gender equality, somewhat ironically, is a young concept – you have
to consider it in the span of modern history to appreciate this tidbit.
Old stereotypes die hard – many men find it emasculating to even
pursue alimony; society has labeled them as the capable breadwinner, despite
the progress female workers have made over recent decades.
Believe it or not, some men can actually view requesting alimony as
begging. Some men would rather dine on potato chips and soup, working multiple
jobs just to keep the lights on, than swallow their pride and request
alimony. A culture of shaming men who are eligible for financial support
from their former spouses has created a bit of a paradox for the modern
divorcing male – do they live with a stigma or live with their parents?
Just as women are deserving of equal roles in the professional arena, so
should it be true that men are worthy of spousal assistance. It’s
time to abandon the clichés of the past that stipulate what gender
is; it’s time to overhaul the spousal support system in favor of those
who actually require it.
Original story provided by
Forbes.