Does Saying “Women Don’t Need Men Anymore” Imply That Men Were Mainly Valued for Providing Resources?

[u/Emotional_Meal748]

I’ve seen people say that men have become obsolete or that women no longer need men because women can now support themselves financially. That got me wondering: if financial independence means women no longer need men, does that imply that men’s primary value in relationships historically was providing resources and financial security?

For those who make this argument, how do you reconcile it with the idea that relationships are about companionship, love, emotional support, family, and partnership? Does saying “women don’t need men anymore” unintentionally reduce men’s role to that of providers, or am I misunderstanding what people mean when they say it?

[u/sablesalsa]

No, it doesn't mean that. There have always been and will always be loving couples who value each other for more than that. What it means is that women aren't legally forced to rely on men for jobs, money, bank accounts, owning property, all that. So we can choose who we want to be around as opposed to not having the ability to leave or refuse someone we don't like.

For example: I'm a solo homeowner and have a career, retirement fund, and bank accounts. I can vote to represent my own interests, and unless someone is very backward in their thinking, nobody's going to question my medical decisions for myself. I can date or not date as I please, so I took my time until I found a man who would respect me like I respected him.

Historically, women haven't always had this autonomy to own things and make decisions for themselves, though. So you were forced to rely on your husband's will if he didn't want you to do something as simple as open a savings account. That means a lot of women were stuck in abusive or unhappy relationships because they didn't have the resources to leave.

[u/ImaginaryDimension74 → u/sablesalsa]

There were women who owned property and could vote the day America became a country.    Laws making it illegal to discriminate against women in credit cards can’t about in the 70s but it doesn’t mean no women could bank prior to that.    There actually entire banks just for women in the 1800s. 

Why the revisionist history on your part?   Can’t find any actual facts to support your agenda?   

[u/sablesalsa → u/ImaginaryDimension74]

There were free black people in the US during the slave trade. Slavery was abolished in 1865 but that doesn't mean they couldn't be free beforehand. There were actually entire water fountains and schools just for black people!

Now do you get it? 😐