Maybe It's Husbands Who Should Strike

Boston · 02-02-2006, 12:45 PM

from http://www.glennsacks.com/indiana_womans_housework.htm

Indiana Woman's 'Housework Strike':
Maybe It's Husbands Who Should Strike
By Dianna Thompson and Glenn Sacks

Quote:

Kathy Thompson of Albany, Indiana made national and international news with her "housework strike" against her husband Gary earlier this month. Since Gary reportedly works six or seven days a week and also claims to "cook quite a bit," it's unclear how valid Kathy's complaint is. What is clear, however, is that studies have repeatedly shown that, when one considers both the work done on the job and the work done in the home, American husbands contribute as much work to their households as their wives do.

According to a survey released earlier this year by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research (ISR), the world's largest academic survey and research organization, women do an average of 11 more hours of housework per week than men. Compensating for this, however, is the study's less-publicized finding that the average man spends 14 hours a week more on the job than the average woman. In fact, studies conducted by the ISR and others have found that rough equality between the workloads shouldered by men and women has existed for at least four decades.

The origin of the lazy husband myth lies in part in UC Berkeley professor Arlie Hochschild's best-selling 1989 book The Second Shift, in which she claimed that "women work an extra month of 24 hour days each year." Just as the media has rushed to publicize Thompson's housework "strike," Hochschild's factoid was repeated uncritically (and unmercifully) by major media.

Yet Hochschild's conclusions were deeply flawed. As gender issues author Warren Farrell notes, Hochschild unfairly compared the housework burdens of full-time employed males with those of part-time employed females. In addition, while she claimed to be writing about contemporary society, she used data on male housework from studies done in the pre-feminist era, before most women worked outside of the home. Also, she defined "housework" to include chores usually done by women, ignoring many of the household tasks generally done by men.

Echoing Hochschild, Gloria Steinem says that in today's economy, because both couples work, men have one job and women have two. However, the average full-time employed man works eight hours a week more than the average full-time employed woman, women are four times as likely as men to work part-time, and women are much more likely than men to be full-time homemakers. It is only natural that housework burdens reflect men's and women's unequal employment contributions.

In addition, both the ISR survey and The Second Shift count only hours worked, without noting the special contributions of men who do dangerous and physically demanding work. The workforces employed in what US Department of Labor lists as the nation's 25 most dangerous jobs are all at least 90% male. While housework may seem like drudgery compared to middle-class, white collar jobs, it certainly doesn't when compared to most blue collar work.

Also, while homemaking can be dull, it comes with several advantages. For one, people are usually much happier at home and in casual dress (and perhaps talking on the phone or watching TV while they work), than they are in a supervised and regimented work environment. Homemakers also benefit from a flexible schedule. Most importantly, being at home usually means being able to spend time with one's children.

Men like Gary Thompson are victims of a doublebind. If they are talented cooks or doting caretakers of children but are unable to provide for their families, they are not respected as husbands or as men. Yet when they work long hours to fulfill the principal breadwinner role that they are still expected to perform, they are blamed for not contributing enough at home.

Ken, a project manager for a San Diego-based computer company, believes that the contributions of male breadwinners like himself are unfairly ignored. He says:

"The weight of supporting our family falls on my shoulders. I work 10 or 12 hour days, so of course I don't do as much housework as my wife does. But she benefits greatly from having time with the kids while they're young, whereas I struggle every day just to get home in time to read them a bedtime story. The time I've missed with my children is something I'll never get back. Maybe I'm the one who should go on strike."

i can hear it already,,,i have it written on the wall in my garage on a plaque i made,,,,to remind me of how supportive we are often are towards one another,,,my plaque reads approx as follows,,,dont complain!,,,,you can't complain!,,,yours are not real complaints!,,,why are you complaining?!?!?!?!?,,,,you have no legitimate complaints!,,,,,stop complaining,,,,,quit your complaining,,,,,you're just complaining,,,,,,,,there is a long list of ways that we refuse to listen to people.......and dont be bitter about it either.....and i cant wait until they offer cheese to go with my whine........yada yada yada....ad nauseum.......

**gregimotis** · 02-02-2006, 01:53 PM

I like pie.

blitz · 02-03-2006, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gregimotis

I like pie.

I like apple pie. What kind do you like?

BoarSpear · 02-03-2006, 04:18 AM

Cherry pie...

Miss Teak · 02-03-2006, 07:30 AM

That's funny... I would've figured you were cream pie guys.

Kenpodog · 02-03-2006, 08:18 AM

pumpkin........
it's really good with "Whipped Cream" on top!!!
(ahhhhhh, the memories.........)

Tom Yum · 02-03-2006, 11:46 AM

1. Pecan
2. Rhubarb
3. Pumpkin
4. Apple Crisp
5. Blueberry

Cakegirl.....are you there

blitz · 02-03-2006, 12:12 PM

Marbeled Fudge brownies, anyone taste those?

Tom Yum · 02-03-2006, 03:36 PM

Some forum names sound like good names for drinks.

darkrelevance
blitz
boarspear
tom yum
miss-teak

osopardo · 02-03-2006, 05:58 PM

key lime pie (with a lot of whipped cream)

sweet potato pie

quiche (that's egg pie, ain't it?)

fur pie (oh no he did-ent!

)

Miss Teak · 02-03-2006, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Yum

Some forum names sound like good names for drinks.

darkrelevance
blitz
boarspear
tom yum
miss-teak

Some forum names sound like good names for instant noodle soup....

blitz · 02-03-2006, 10:25 PM

osopardo would make a good name for a city.
Gregimotis can be anything.

Tom Yum · 02-05-2006, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blitz

osopardo would make a good name for a city.
Gregimotis can be anything.

Gregimotis could be some kind of biochemical process.

Gregimotis could also be a brand name for farm equipment (an arch rival to John Deere).

Lastly, gregimotis could be a character on one of those fantasy films (i.e. scroto baggins cousin)

02-02-2006, 01:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
gregimotis Premiere Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Still residing in the Premiere members booth Posts: 1,989 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	I like pie. __________________ . . I am Tired. Tired. Tired.

02-03-2006, 07:30 AM	#5 (permalink)
Miss Teak Registered User Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 113 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	That's funny... I would've figured you were cream pie guys. __________________ Ain't much of a difference, between a bridge and a wall; without me right in the middle, you would have nothing at all. -Hedwig Robinson

02-03-2006, 08:18 AM	#6 (permalink)
Kenpodog Registered User Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 128 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	pumpkin........ it's really good with "Whipped Cream" on top!!! (ahhhhhh, the memories.........) __________________ *In American Kenpo, questions are answered on the mat*

02-03-2006, 11:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
Tom Yum Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Here and there. Posts: 11,220 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Favorite Pies 1. Pecan 2. Rhubarb 3. Pumpkin 4. Apple Crisp 5. Blueberry Cakegirl.....are you there

02-03-2006, 12:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
blitz Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Home Posts: 1,045 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Marbeled Fudge brownies, anyone taste those? __________________

02-03-2006, 04:18 AM	#4 (permalink)
BoarSpear Registered User Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 5,729 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Cherry pie...

02-03-2006, 03:36 PM	#9 (permalink)
Tom Yum Registered User Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Here and there. Posts: 11,220 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	Some forum names sound like good names for drinks. darkrelevance blitz boarspear tom yum miss-teak

02-03-2006, 05:58 PM	#10 (permalink)
osopardo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Hurricane Alley Posts: 170,033 Posts: 1,915 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	key lime pie (with a lot of whipped cream) sweet potato pie quiche (that's egg pie, ain't it?) fur pie (oh no he did-ent! ) __________________ Le Bear Extraordinaire! *Mike Brewer's 2008 Athleticon Challenge!!!* Pushups Completed: 5 1/2 Situps Completed: Does using my hands count?

02-03-2006, 10:25 PM	#12 (permalink)
blitz Registered User Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Home Posts: 1,045 Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts	osopardo would make a good name for a city. Gregimotis can be anything. __________________

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