In the 1970's, the Enjoli perfume television commercial told us that a woman could "bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, and never ever let you forget you're a man." BlogHer Contributing Editor Denise pointed me to a fantastic post by BlogHer Sneadwoman wherein she wonders if her marriage will survive an inversion of income dynamics (she made more when they married now he makes more.) And the happy answer is yes. This got me thinking - is it really true that income and finances are no longer a source of tension in relationships? Can women bring home the bacon and have their husbands not feel emasculated? Should we take advantage of this sea change and invest in pork belly futures?

Don't call your commodities broker just yet. Nicole at The Budgeting Babe finds an article about a study which shows that while men may be happy with the superwoman reality, women are not sniffing the Enjoli just yet...

Studying data from a national survey of 5,000 U.S. couples, University of Virginia sociologists found that married women who don't work outside the home and those whose husbands earn the lion's share of the household income were happier than their bacon-bringing counterparts.

Researchers W. Bradford Wilcox and Steven Nock said even among women working outside the home, those whose husbands earn 68 percent or more of the household income were happier.

So is this proof that traditional gender roles are hardwired into us given that we are seemingly happier that way, proof that women have drank from the kool-aid cup of shame and internalized a sense of lack of self worth, or indication that the modern American woman has given up on the superwoman ideal all together? My vote is for none of the above. I think it shows that whether alone or together, we all struggle with dysfunctional relationships to money that only get better when they are recognized and discussed. As Sneadwoman put it

Somehow, Miller Lite and I mustered up the courage to explain to hubby how I felt.

At CNN Money, Pat Regnier and Amanda Gengler have an interesting article that looks at why men and women look at money in their relationship so differently. But, they agree with me and conclude that it's all about the conversations, baby

Despite all these differences, there is some good news: The problem appears to be one of perception, rather than a difference of opinion about goals.

In the end, our survey found, what husbands wanted and what wives wanted was pretty much the same; they just didn't realize it. Whatever they say in Hollywood, most great romances aren't a case of opposites attracting. In real life, we get married to people who share our goals: a family, a home, a secure future enjoying each other's company.

And those are the things any good money conversation should really be about.

Click here for the whole Men, Women & Money series.

Some BlogHers also have explored the money and marriage question. NYC Money has a two-part series and in part I she notes that she and her husband "have no secrets" and in part II she concludes that "it's how you talk about your problems that really matters." One Frugal Girl raises the sobering point that women will likely outlive their husbands which further reinforces the need to have that discussion now.

So you are ready to have "the talk" - how do you do it, what do you talk about? Gina Trapani at Lifehacker points us to a Wall Street Journal article by Jeff D. Opdyke which poses "nine questions partners should ask each other before getting married." And, if you prefer your information gathering to be of the more podcasty variety, check out this one where "WSJ's Jeff Opdyke discusses the challenges of unequal income in a partnership, including what happens when the woman is the higher earner, and whether it's especially difficult when one spouse stays home with the kids."

Kate "spills the beans" about three couples trying to communicate in their relationships about finacial issues. Meet the Jonses, the Smiths, and the Kellys.

And here are two lives-blogged examples of real life conversations:

One Frugal Girl holds the first annual family meeting.

And at Make Love Not Debt, Him and Her hold a state of our union talk.