Dear Amy:

I am Ana May Abutas from the Philippines and pursuing my Masters' Degree in Literature and I am working on a paper that deals with the comparison of the status of married Filipino women today and that of married American women.

What is the status of  married American women today? Are they contented with their  roles as wife and mother? I would appreciate it very much if you can provide me information regarding this matter.

Thank you and more power.

Your question is such a difficult one to answer because I think it depends on each individual woman. By far the majority of American women still get married -- and in many instances remarried. I don't know if this is so much because women -- or men -- "want" to get married, but there is still so much societal pressure to do so. It's what defines your relationship. And not being married, I can personally tell you that it is certainly a challenge to legitimize your relationship in other people's minds if you aren't married -- it somehow is a mark. That said, I can tell you that many people are still critical of it as an institution -- and some challenge that by not getting married. Others try to change it from within. Personally, I can't say that people are happier being wives and mothers than not -- I think it does depend on the individual and on the individual relationship. However, there is a presumption that people should be happier in relationships -- married relationships.

- Amy