October 12, 2011

When Women Are Hypocrites

I received something in the mail a while back that made me a little mad.

Correction: It royally torked me off.

In fact, I was so angry that I grabbed the offending object and stuffed it in a drawer. And that's exactly where I found it this week. Guess what? It still makes me mad.  So what was it that made me so angry? My cell phone bill? Seeing that the USPS delivered my IKEA catalog ripped to shreds?

No, it was this...



OK, so I know you're thinking, "what's the big deal?" No, it's not the fact that I will never use a dryer sheet again(since I found out they are easily the most toxic thing in your home but that's a topic for another post.)

No, look closer...


 See where it says, "So easy a man can do it."

      Read that again: "So easy a man can do it."

That doesn't upset you? Then let's try this: "So easy a woman can do it."

Oh, now I've got your attention, don't I?
50 years ago, advertisements that were demeaning to women were, unfortunately, way to common.  But people took a stand and change was made.  So why is it now ok to say something about men that we would no longer consider saying about women? Why is it OK to make all men on TV look like lame-brain slobs who only have one thing on their minds other than beer? Yet, where is the outrage?As a mom of 3 handsome, intelligent, fully capable young men, I find this completely insulting.  Our sons deserve so much more.  They will be great husbands and dads someday. They will be world changers and great providers. But only if they believe they have what it takes.

I find myself asking if that what equal rights is all about? Is this what women marched for... sweated for... even burned their bras for? Did we fight for the right to treat men like trash?

When did we, as women, become such hypocrites?

Women, our predecessors marched so we could be treated equally - with respect. Life has taught me that if I want respect, I need to give it. If I want a strong, confident husband who is willing to step up and be the man of the home I need him to be - I need to treat him with respect. If I nag at him and talk down to him and treat him like one of the deviants off of a weekly sitcom - then I better not be expecting roses and help with the dishes in return.

Ahem.If we want our sons to grow up to be the men we know they can be, we need to show them all the beauty and strength and potential that they possess.

But they won't learn to understand that as long as we continue to allow the world to proclaim "it's so easy a man can do it."

Women, we demanded respect.  Now it's time to give it.  Is this world perfect? No. Is every woman treated with the respect and dignity she deserves? Again, no.

But that is no reason to be a hypocrite.
Women, it is our turn to step up to the plate.  For our husband's sakes, for our son's sakes...I started by writing this post.  I will also be writing a letter to the company that sent me the mailing.  It may not rock the world, but it will hopefully plant a seed of change.

1 comment:

  1. Very well said. It's an extreme swing to the other side. Unfortunately it's all over tv showS, commercials and whatever else. If men aren't being portrayed as womanizing pimp-daddy's, they are identified as week and emasculated. I'm not a conspiracist, but there is a definite trend, and a sad one at that. So, I do think it's a conspiracy; there, I'll just be honest.

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