Because you had to!!!!
How come? During WWII women replaced men in work places, because men were away fighting the war, but when men came back women lost their jobs to men again and men in the US were earning more than ever, apparently:
pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tupperware-work/
So, what happened? Since when women "had" to start to work?
Milo, I have an impression that some of you guys live in some kind of male La La Land. I'm sure many people (including men) would love not to work and live off money that would be falling from the sky lol, but that's fantasy. Real life can get ugly.
What if husband dumps the stay-at-home wife who never worked in her life? Will she be able to support herself and the kids only from alimonies? What if the ex-husband won't pay the alimonies? Or what if her husband simply dies? What then?
What about her retirement if she never worked?
Also, if women suddenly stopped working who would work as teachers at schools, kindergartens, as nurses, secretaries, hotel maids, cleaning ladies, caregivers, cashiers in Biedronka, hairstylists for women, manicurists, etc? You think that men would be so willing to wipe the asses of old people? And if not, would you expect women to do the jobs that men are unwilling to do and leave all the cool, fun, prestigious and high-paying jobs to men? If that's your take on this then, sorry, but... F U...
There's another problem. How would you feel if you stayed at home with kids and you'd have to ask your spouse for money? Every freaking time you needed something - like a kid asking a parent for pocket money? Would you like that? Of course, couples may resolve this in a less humiliating way - by having a joint account or sth, but in many cases it isn't resolved like that and wives have to ask their husbands for money. This often leads to toxic situations and financial blackmail, or even, as it's called in Polish: "przemoc ekonomiczna", because men use the power they have over their wives in such situation when she has no money of her own:
bankier.pl/wiadomosc/Nienawidze-od-20-lat-Ale-za-co-bede-zyc-Przemoc-ekonomiczna-niszczy-po-cichu-8063259.html
And, finally, women are people too. We have interests, passions and talents too. There are women who like to work, because they love what they do. We have the right to work too, not only you.