Love, - S.

all-about-bette:

In 1943 Bette had her own advice column on Photoplay-Movie Mirror, answering people’s letters. Most of them may sound pretty old-fashioned today, yet here is an interesting reply revealing Bette’s opinion about women’s independence.

Dear Miss Davis,

I am a bride of six months and have a very dear husband. We love each other deeply. He has had a very difficult life as he has worked since he was fourteen. Now, he has a rather important job and we get along very nicely on his salary. After two months of marriage, he brought up the subject of a wife’s being indipendent. He wants me to go to school and to learn to be something. He says that he has seen so many changes concerning work that he feels a woman should be able to share in supporting a home, if need be. I love being a housewife and I know I would be very unhappy if I had to go to work. I like to cook, and clean, and have my home attractive. How can a woman keep up with household duties when she has to go off to the office? I told him a girl marries to have someone to depend on. Do you believe a woman has to learn to be self-supporting? — Patricia J.

Dear Mrs J:

I happen to agree with your husband. I think that every human being should be self-supporting. Who knows what the future may bring, or of what great value trained women may be in the post-war world. I, personally, have a pretty big job to do, yet I manage to do lots of things in my own home in spare time snatched after working hours. It seems to me that you are fortunate to have the sort of husband you do. After all, housework for the first six months is fun, but after four or five years of it you won’t find it satisfies you all day, every day. Also, I believe you will find that learning to become self-supporting will bring something new and very interesting into your life.

Sincerely,

Bette Davis

Click here to download the whole column: [x]
Source: archive.org