Comments on: Might as Well Laugh

By: Brigid

Brigid — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 09:39:15 +0000

Like most people ’round here, I am not a fan of jokes based on stereotypes (except goth stereotypes, those amuse me greatly), but I at least feel less angry when something is competent comedy. These are so unfunny it doesn’t even feel like the intent is to amuse, it feels like they are -only- there to reinforce certain ideas.

By: BeccaTheCyborg

BeccaTheCyborg — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 19:53:44 +0000

So do we.

By: Yin

Yin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:42:52 +0000

Holy crap, that’s awful. I hope karma gets him.

By: Shana

Shana — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:40:53 +0000

You are right. Poor word choice. I guess it is the inborn societal vernacular a man helps while a woman is expected to care for the children.
We have always done everything together and we make a great team. He sees childcare as part of his duty as a father, and he is very involved. It shouldn’t be the case that this is rare or somehow abnormal.
In a way, I feel like it is his choice. I saw my own father only a handful of times in my life and he lived next door to me for at least 7 years. He was married 8 times and ultimately went to prison for killing my step-brother. My step-father was a rage-aholic and would have rathered cut his own arms off than care for my little brother (his son). He eventually “grew up” (as my mom says) and is an exemplary pawpaw to my kids; but too late for my brother and I who were grown before his revelation. My maternal grandfather was an alcoholic that we never saw until just a few years ago. Now that he is sober, he is trying to make amends for over 50 years of screwing up. My paternal grandfather was the kindest, most helpful, loving man in the world and thanks to him, my view of men isn’t completely negative. My mom was a high school drop out, stay at home mom (who did ALL of the cooking, cleaning, and caring) until I was 13 when she went back to school to get her teaching degree. I suppose my personal experience colors my perception and by extension my way of communicating my thoughts.
I didn’t intend to imply that his care was just “help” to the one responsible for childcare, although I agree that that is how it sounded. Sorry.

By: KD

KD — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:27:01 +0000

I don’t think you realize that by using the word “help” you’ve signaled that you believe that childcare is your job and his choice.

By: Shana

Shana — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:14:41 +0000

My husband changes most of the diapers around our house. Not because I make him, or because it is some attempt at gender neutrality, but because he WANTS to do it. He enjoys helping and being involved in their care and upbringing from birth on. We have an 11 year old who is severely disabled and still wears diapers and daddy still changes him, feeds him, gives pony rides, etc. Division of labor is not an argument to raise about childcare. Both parents should want to be involved.

By: lex

lex — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:42:00 +0000

Wowee. It’s that simple! You read it here first, folks.

By: lex

lex — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:37:34 +0000

Same here.

By: Dragonclaws

Dragonclaws — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:40:23 +0000

The shirt tag’s been Photoshopped, by the way. I saw a site a while ago that pointed out the original image as well as a few different versions of the joke.

By: Noelley B

Noelley B — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 21:24:54 +0000

You could always try to have kids with a guy who is willing to fairly divide childcare responsibilities.

By: Graves

Graves — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:31:06 +0000

I think the problem of financial inequality is more specific to single parents and primary carers of young children than of mothers overall. It’s not pleasant to choose between financial dependence on a partner or paid care for one’s child – and that’s supposing there’s even an option. Perhaps public-funded creches are the way of the future? It’s a shame if kids will be brought up outside the home and away from parental care but now it’s common for both partners to work there seems little alternative, because the cost of living has swallowed any gains couples made into the marketplace. It’s a wonder that single parents can survive at all when services and goods are priced as if everyone enjoys a dual-income household. Once children can take themselves to school though the burden is much less. Of course, the financial dependence of the children is likely to continue for another decade, but these costs can be more evenly negotiated on a dual-income. As far as unremunerated work, I’d suggest that a lot of the contribution husbands make to the family unit is indirect; more generally delegated to assembly, labour, maintenance/repair, troubleshooting or transport. It mightn’t be housework but if it’s household-work I think that’s still valid.

By: Other Kelly

Other Kelly — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:11:11 +0000

I think our own families often go a long way towards reinforcing these roles. When I have relatives visit my boyfriend an I’s apartment they see it’s state of cleanliness as a reflection on ME, not on both of is! They even tend to assume that the decorating scheme is entirely my idea, although my boyfriend and I are both artists who enjoy modifying our surroundings.
This outrages me to no end!

By: Die, Commie Bastard! » Blog Archive » GIVE IT TO YOUR WIFE It’s Her Job

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:57:22 +0000

[...] Sociological Images: …women do this [housework] disproportionately, even as most women work as many paid hours as [...]

By: sarah

sarah — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:47:58 +0000

I got angry just reading that. I hope things are better for you now :(

By: lsmsrbls

lsmsrbls — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:42:46 +0000

“Yeah, I’d say they’re mostly jokes for men in America.”

Yup.

And I’m not particularly fond of the “Might as Well Laugh” and “Sometimes humor is all we ladies have got.”

Nope, I don’t have any humor when it comes to making fun of women for shouldering the burden of home and childcare. In fact, I would more accurately describe the emotion that invokes in me as anger.

So I guess that means that sometimes I’ve got nothing at all.