Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, is not married to his partner, the domesticity guru Sandra Lee, and no one seems to care.

Whilst pastors and priests spread and taught God's words, wives of missionaries and planters both contributed to the teachings of domesticity, of healthy homes and families where cooking, cleaning and sewing were taught.

There was even her absurd bake off against First Lady Barbara Bush, in which she had to produce her own cookie recipe in order to appease a lingering cultural demand for domesticity in the role.