Mad Men: 5 Things About Betty That Would Never Fly Today (& 5 That Would)

Betty Draper was the first woman to tie Don Draper down in AMC series Mad Men, his long-time wife before they finally got divorced.

Beautiful and always dressed to the nines in a pretty dress, her hair done perfectly, Betty took care of the kids, cooked, cleaned the house, and was the arm candy by Don’s side when he needed it. But she also loved to drink, smoke, and gossip with her friends and ride horses.

There was a lot about Betty, played by January Jones, that was somewhat archaic, but other things that would fly today, too.

10 Never Fly: Smoking While Pregnant

While this was common in the ’50s because no one truly understood what harm cigarettes could do, today, smoking is looked down upon not only for pregnant women but for anyone.

And while lots of people still smoke, they would be hard-pressed to find a woman smoking while pregnant, much less inside her house with the kids present. Most people would be appalled by such a sight now that we know how harmful smoking is for adults and unborn fetuses.

9 Would Fly: Being A Strong Woman

Even though Betty was, for all intents and purposes, the typical housewife of the ’50s, she also made sure that she didn’t lose herself either. She kept up with her hobbies, including horseback riding, made time for her friends, and confronted Don when she didn’t like what he was doing.

When she was once called a bored housewife and bottle blonde, she abruptly died her hair black to prove that she was anything but.

8 Never Fly: Putting Up With A Cheating Husband

Betty knew, or at least suspected, that Don was stepping out and had done so multiple times. She caught him stumbling home drunk early in the morning on many occasions, and even if she couldn’t find direct proof, it was obvious.

Yet she stuck with him anyway, hoping that he would stop. She knew he loved her but couldn’t understand why he still felt the need to do that. Today, a strong woman like Betty would kick him out in a heartbeat.

7 Would Fly: Her Sense Of Personal Style

Betty was a former model and she knew style and how to look glamorous whether she was out for a night on the town or making dinner at home. Often compared to Grace Kelly, she could make even horseback riding gear look sexy and fashionable.

Her choices of items like floral prints, stilettos, high-waisted pants, and updos are all once again in fashion today.

6 Never Fly: Weird Relationship With Glen

Glen was the strange little kid next door who was infatuated with her. And their friendship became somewhat inappropriate. While Betty never did anything untoward with him, it was clear she was enjoying the attention even if it was clearly awkward.

While Betty was babysitting Glen, she found him watching her in the bathroom. Then he asked her for a lock of her hair. Today, Betty would be expected to call the parents right away and would never be friendly with a child who clearly had an inappropriate romantic interest in her.

5 Would Fly: Her Reliance On Close Girlfriends

Betty could often be seen smoking, drinking, and chatting in the kitchen with her friends, other housewives who would gossip about their husbands and the women who worked in their offices.

Even as a dutiful wife and mother, Betty understood how important it was to spend time with her girlfriends, something many mothers recognize today.

4 Never Fly: Treatment Of Her Kids

Betty would often yell at her kids or snap at them, even once slapping Sally when she was angry. She was, overall, a great mother. But some of the things she did would never fly today.

She sent Sally off to boarding school to keep her away from the drama of her broken marriage with Don and didn’t spend as much time with her other kids because she was so focused on Sally. She even moved to a new home with Henry just to spite her daughter and, when Sally was younger, locked her in the closet as punishment.

3 Never Fly: The Way Don Disrespected Her

Don disrespected Betty in so many ways that a wife would not want to put up with today, from disappearing for days on end to not showing up to the kids’ birthday parties to working late and not telling Betty when he would be home.

Worst of all, of course, was the constant cheating. But there was also that small detail he hid from her for their entire relationship (until she found out) that he wasn’t actually who he said he was and had stolen someone’s identity.

2 Would Fly: Marriage To An Older Man

After Betty had had enough of Don, she began an affair with an older man named Henry Francis, an advisor to Nelson A. Rockefeller, the governor of New York. He was immediately smitten with her and while she clearly had an interest in him, she stayed back.

They later, however, get together and Betty told Don she wanted a divorce. While some looked strangely upon their marriage seeing as Henry was significantly older than Betty, women being with older men is pretty common nowadays, and vice versa.

1 Never Fly: Being Okay With Don’s Hidden Identity

Betty eventually discovered that Don wasn’t who he said he was when she found photos and documents in a locked drawer in his desk. He was forced to tell her the truth about the real Don Draper, who he was, why he took the identity, and his troubled upbringing.

While it’s easy to imagine she would sympathize with him, keeping such a secret knowing that it also meant Don had serious emotional troubles would never fly today.

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