Next time you feel all warm and fuzzy about how far we’ve come since the bad ol’ days when men weren’t encouraged to take of of children like they do now (by the way, they largely do not), remember this ad (found here):
I don’t detect a hint of sarcasm here. Do you? Or am I oh-so-not-in-touch with 1940s comedic culture? I could be wrong. Am I wrong?
Comments 6
Le — September 30, 2008
What's that on his mouth? Looks like a lip ring. Well it's funny that at the bottom, it says "Found in mom's basement," so there is still the implication that mom is doing the work in terms of handling the kids. But of course, if all our assumptions are correct, this ad is pretty unique for its time.
Kaitlin — September 30, 2008
Okay, this is officially my favorite blog.
Lisa Wade, PhD — September 30, 2008
Le, I think it's diaper pins in his mouth. And "Found in Mom's Basement" is the blog where I found the ad. It's just a tag on all the ads to remind us where it's from.
Kaitlin, yay!
oliviacw — September 30, 2008
No sarcasm in the ad, but I do think it's clear that this is a short-term caretaking by Dad - the second paragraph begins, "Mom's back and all's well." Mom is still the primary caregiver, and the expert at what to use and where things are kept in the household.
gypsy_cat — September 30, 2008
Awww--pictures of men holding babies are so sweet. I wish we had more of them in today's ads.
Kirsten — September 30, 2008
Yes, I think this is a case of plucky Dad doing a job that is not really his, while Mom is out buying the makings of dinner or something.
I do like that he's wearing a frilled apron in the little illustration - I don't think a modern advertiser would put a man in a frilly apron, unless they were deliberately playing around with his gender identity. (But it does imply that he doesn't have an apron of his own, as he might if this were a regular job).