Exactly. It's the lack of real choice. In 1950-whatever your chances of making it on your own, as a single mom, ESPECIALLY when the entire culture is built on the assumption of stay at home moms, were pretty slim. You didn't just move out, sign up at the local montessori, and go get your "pays roughly similar even if still lower" professional job, and go to the bank and get a mortgage, etc.

Corporate servitude also sucks but that's a result of nimby housing cartels (you're competing with two income households for homes).

I think your reading makes more sense than mine. Agreed!