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The term “Stepford Wife” refers to a woman who lives a compliant life, often used derogatorily. The term comes from a book and film where men replace their wives with robots. Critics note the allure of a spouse eager to please, but feminists argue it undermines the work of stay-at-home mothers. Some believe the problem is rooted in society’s beauty standards, which can turn women into Stepford Wives.
The term “Stepford Wife” is used to describe a woman who lives a blindly compliant life, remaining submissive to her husband and other authority figures while attempting not to offend anyone. The term is taken from a 1972 book, The Stepford Wives, which was later adapted into several films, and is generally considered derogatory. This type of woman is a topic of discussion and comment particularly in the feminist community.
In the novel, which takes place in the fictional town of Stepford, Connecticut, men replace their wives with robots programmed to serve them flawlessly. The novel’s main character is portrayed as an artistically inclined feminist who moves to Stepford and worries about her wives, especially as she increasingly sees her friends as submissive. She realizes that the women of the town have actually been replaced by robots and eventually becomes one herself.
There is a dark undertone in Stepford’s wife. In both the book and the films, the wives’ previous accomplishments are heavily emphasized. Not ordinary housewives, they were once high-level executives, doctors, talented scientists, and so on, making their transition into robots all the more terrifying.
In discussions of the book and subsequent films, critics have often pointed out that few men would actually want to marry a robot, but one can imagine the allure of a spouse eager to please her husband. She quietly and cheerfully accedes to every wish, making sure dinner is on the table, guests are entertained, and the house is impeccably run. This woman has no character of her own, and therefore she never fights or resists her role. And she, of course, she’s incredibly attractive.
Sometimes, a woman who has given up a career to become a housewife is referred to as a “Stepford Wife.” Some feminists argue that this is not right, as it undermines the valuable work of mothers who choose to raise their children at home and run their own households. Some high-profile women, especially celebrities, have been labeled with this term even after marrying talented and famous men and giving up their careers for a variety of reasons.
Some feminists believe the problem may be more deeply rooted in society than people realize. Many women, for example, regularly change their bodies with elective surgeries, starve themselves, and modify their behavior to appear more attractive to men. In a world where plastic surgery is routine, some women seem to come close to the gynoid ideal in terms of flawless physical perfection, and some feminists suggest that submission to beauty standards transforms these women into Stepford Wives.
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