However I do not find the alternative history proposed in the story believable. A dual currency system would be too hard to impose and belief that national security is tied to having a stable currency is too widespread. There's a reason dollar bills say "This note is legal tender for all debts, public and private" and states are forbidden from printing their own currency. "
The coupons in this story were a government backed legal currency with a government mandated exchange rate — so I don't see national security and stability being an issue.
Personally I thought the introduction background was pretty plausible. Initial introduction post war with the GI Bill to deal with specific social issues, broadened out later on to re-enforce existing societal norms that were seen as "good".
As an kind-of-related example to look us over in the UK who had 15 years of ration coupons during and post-WW2 — mostly controlled by women through convention rather than law (interestingly both my mum and gran who lived through UK rationing commented in the past on how its removal could be disempowering for women, since overall control of household budgets generally switched back to the wage earning man who controlled the bank account, etc.).
Government coupon coins were a real thing in the US too, although with a different background and history (WW2 rationing) from the ones in this story. (Indeed — I wonder why the author chose not to extend and expand on this rather than use a modified GI Bill as his alt-hist turning point.)
I don't think historical economic discrimination against women provides enough of an explanation. The two currency system in the story doesn't just discriminate against women, it also restricts the power of white men by preventing them from purchasing goods that must be paid for with coupons. Actual discrimination is always one-sided in practice.
I'd agree that it's not just about economic discrimination. It's intent is to reenforce societal norms. Man as wage earner, woman as homemaker. The married couple as the unit that has the easy path in this two currency economy. Which screws children, single people, gays, lesbians, widows, spinsters, etc.
I'd disagree that discrimination is always one-sided in practice. Discrimination often affects multiple sides. When it comes to race look at the miscegenation laws for example. When it comes to discrimination around traditional gender roles many of the problems women had/have becoming doctors are mirrored by the problems men had/have becoming nurses/midwives (the dad of a school friend was training to be a nurse in the late 70s. Some of the shit he put up with from men and women at the time was amazing). Damn that
kyriarchy ;-)
In the story we have something that's nominally 'separate but equal'. Both sexes have their own currency. Both sexes can change currencies if they need to and ask/pay/barter somebody of the opposite sex to help them purchase products in the other currency.
But I'd argue that the folk in the coupon economy are at a disadvantage. The exchange rate gives dollars more spending power in the coupon economy, having property in the dollar economy, having restaurant food in the dollar economy, etc.
So yes the men face problems too in this world, but not as many as the women.