After learning, albeit painfully, the many ways that I have inadvertently shown disrespect for my husband, I have been thinking about how my treatment of him affects my million soon-to-be 5 sons. My nine year old is now old enough to want to watch sitcoms.
Looking at sitcoms with a critical eye for his benefit has opened my eyes to messages that are destructive, not only to men but society in general.
"The trap of masculinity? That is the way many feminists view maleness. A centerpiece of this hostility is seen in an ongoing effort to convince us that "Men are fools." It claims that the majority of males are immature, impulsive, selfish, weak and not very bright. It is interesting to note, for example, how disrespect for men pervades the entertainment industry, including many television commercials. The formula involves a beautiful woman (or a bevy of them) who is intelligent, sexy, admirable and self-assured. She encounters a slob of a man, usually in a bar, who is a braggadocio, ignorant, balding and overweight. The stupid guy, as I will call him, quickly disgraces himself on screen, at which point the woman sneers or walks away.
So what is going on here? Is it possible that men, especially male beer drinkers and sports-car enthusiasts, actually like being depicted as dumb, horny, fat, nerdy and ugly? Apparently they do. We also have to assume that guys are not offended when they are made the butt of a thousand jokes. But why? Women would not tolerate that kind of derision. You'll note that the polarity of the stupid guy ads is never reversed. Not in a million years would you see a corpulent, unattractive woman lusting after a good-looking man who shows disdain for her as she does something ridiculous. Men, however, don't seem to notice that the joke is on them."
It is no wonder many women find themselves 'mothering' their husbands and treating them as if they were incapable of taking any kind of leadership role in the family.
Extraordinary Wives- What are your thoughts about the cultural messages about masculinity and do you think this affects how we view our husbands? Let's discuss at The League!
Loading ...
Comments are closed.