A short time ago, I wrote this post on Empowerment in response to ESPN’s Body Issue. I received a significant amount of traffic on this post and a handful of comments. I appreciated the feedback from most (both positive, negative, and neutral). I responded to as much as I could. I will reiterate {again} that the post is entirely my opinion and the comments have definitely caused me to think about my response. But the truth is? It’s my opinion. Reiterated in my way. About an issue I wanted to write about. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion.
So when I came across the comment that my blog seems to be “written by a bored housewife,” I couldn’t help but respond.
Dear Sir,
I’ll start by saying that I don’t know for 100% certain that you are in fact a sir. But any woman I know, that tends to her own home, would be remiss to make such a ridiculous statement. So we’ll start there…sir.
I currently raise two boys and started this blog over three years ago as a way to document our life. Eventually, it evolved into a combination of life lessons, our virtual scrapbook, and my opinions. I blog daily and don’t merely lay on the couch waiting for inspiration to strike.
When I’m not making dinner, cleaning house, and chasing around two littles, I work at a law office (both in an office and at home), work social media for that office, teach two courses at a local college as an adjunct professor, and blog at two other online resources. Oh and I’m a law school graduate.
I didn’t sit down to write a piece on the ESPN magazine because I had nothing better to do. In fact, I had exactly seven minutes and thirty seconds to gather some thoughts before I had to finish packing lunches and dress two squirming children to take a trip to the zoo. I posted them on my blog. My space. I shared them with others.
You also said, “She did seem to conveniently overlook that both genders are well represented.”{gasp} There were men in the magazine too? I had no idea! When I walk down a magazine aisle at a store, the predominant vision I see involves half-naked women on the cover of magazines. We have spent our time trying to buck the status quo of women as something more than sexual objects. We have worked hard to empower women for what they offer the world rather than what they simply have under their clothes. We have told women they can be strong and powerful, but then the world uses them for their body.
When I see women, who have worked so hard to show the world how much they have accomplished, stripped down to nothing more than a “nice bod,” I feel like we have somehow lost our footing. Like we have lost some steps in our quest for gender equality. So no, I didn’t “conveniently overlook” that both genders were well-represented, I chose to focus on the one that has had to fight for equality over and over again.
Your response also elicited another pleasant comment:
“There was an article also posted at people.com and there was a ton of responses from idiot housewives who only looked at the headline and nothing else.”
Touche. I wonder if you’d consider your mother a bored or idiotic housewife. The woman carried you for nine months, raised you, and helped you become the man you are today. And somehow I don’t know that you’d say that to her face.
Finally, I wanted to thank you for proving my point. That as a culture, a society, we haven’t really come all that far in gender equality. After all, how can we progress, when men still view us as “idiotic, bored housewives” when we voice our opinion on an issue?
Sincerely,
That Bored Housewife
Where is the original piece you wrote? I’m curious as to the wording of it and the responses.
Way to go Samantha!
I find it hilarious that someone would call you, of all the people in the world, a bored house wife. I’m still in awe of how much in do – seriously. So from one “bored house wife” to another, I hope you keep putting your opinions out there Sam and seriously screw all the haters.
Kudos on this excellent response.
I think it’s also important to highlight the fact that women view other women as objects and perpetuate stereotypes. I see more women negatively discuss a “woman’s role” and how women treat/showcase their bodies more than I see men discuss these same topics. I’ve seen women comment on similar blog posts saying nasty things about “feminism” and “bored housewives.”
It’s saddening to see the negative impact we can have on our own gender stereotypes.
I think everyone just needs a hug.