You have actually raised an issue that has been offered as a thought experiment ( can't remember who), but has not caught on as being valid. Its one of those "thoughts" that cannot be allowed to exist. So it is immediately shouted down.
Basically, women entering the workforce has effectively "lowered" men's wages (actually everyone's wages.) so that men can no longer support the family on one single salary. Of course, women have a right to work, but this income loss is one of those unintended consequences that people do not think about until after the fact.
There are two contexts. First, women comprise approximately 50% of the population. When women entered the workforce, they essentially doubled the number of employed meaning that there was now more competition for the number of available jobs. The consequence, wages are effectively lowered. So it takes two incomes to meet household requirements instead of one. (There may exist an angle that as more people enter the workforce, the number of jobs actually increases.)
Second, we have become a consumer society. Instead of save now, pay later; we have buy now and pay (over-time) later. This can give a household, initially, a higher standard of living. (Wow, two incomes - we are rich, lets buy!!!) (Especially when it comes to buying housing.) However, over time this is inflationary. A result, it takes two incomes to make ends meet.