My own suspicion is that when both men and women participate equally in the work force, the economy adjusts so that it's impractical for just one to work.

I think equality is a good thing; it's just that we haven't learn how to structure society to not squeeze as much productivity as possible out of working-age people.

It's because all developed societies see collapses in birth rate since reproduction was a Ponzi scheme nature imposed upon us that, as the universal revealed preference, we're eager to escape given the chance. The first developed nations tend to be the most enlightened, which is why they're the most likely to challenge gender roles.