Bread-and-Butter Issues

Photograph by Peter Hapak for TIME

The term breadwinner dates from the 19th century, and the meaning today seems pretty self-evident. Bread = money + winning = making it. But the term has a larger meaning in that it also suggests how we provide for our basic needs, how we sustain ourselves. For a long time, breadwinner seemed to refer only to men, that is, the people who brought home the salary. But the importance of Liza Mundy's enlightening cover story about how women will soon overtake men in terms of supporting families is that it speaks to the larger changes in society caused by this new...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!