1950’s Men’s / Boy’s Activities: Boy’s were outdoors a lot. Most homes had a hoop over their garage for basketball play. Other pastimes: bowling league, work on car, workshop projects, camping, fishing, family outings & picnics, motor boating, cruising. Young boys played outside with their toys.

1950’s dating: Boys/ Men were expected to ask the girl / woman for the date; he met with the girl’s family, opened doors, and paid for the date. Whereas girls were expected to be good, there was not the same degree of expectations upon boys. The boy could try to kiss the girl or more but he had to be prepared – he might get a slap by the girl for this. If a boy got a girl pregnant, it was considered the girl’s fault. The boy could be somewhat lifted in status, at least among his male peers. There were not as much consequences to the boy. However, sometimes the families made the boy marry. Still it was the expectation of society for the man to get married, and then to have children.

The effect of the women’s movement on men; Male chauvinism; divorce; and etiquettes: Since men are the breadwinners in the 1950’s family, it was more common for the man to have control or most of the power in marriage and family. Sometimes this power was abused, from male chauvinism to different degrees of seriousness.

Divorce: Divorce was not as easy in the fifties. So even if there were problems the family stayed together. They stayed together and worked it out or remained unhappy. The women’s movement gradually helped change the way society thought about men, women, work, marriage and family.

Present day, the majority of men / women work and share the burden of income; Divorce is an option; women and men are both out of the home and in the workforce. Men and women share some of the same roles. The roles of men are not so clear cut and thus confusions can result.

Etiquettes and men: Some etiquettes, such as opening doors for women, are not always as prevalent as in the 1950’s. Perhaps men see that women can take care of themselves, or are unsure of whether women want doors opened for them.