ABC World News aired a segment the other night on how the recession is prompting a new gender role reversal because 78 percent of jobs lost recently have been held by men. Like thousands of new stay at home dads affected by the economy, this news segment featured 3 different stay at home dads recently forced into their new role as a result of the economic downturn. I think it is worth the 3 minute investment to watch the segment. I did think the 5 seconds devoted to showing one of the dads vacuuming the carpet and the comment about "Larry Poppins" was laughable. The piece included one distasteful moment - the brief interview with Eleanor Hemmert, the wife of another stay at home dad who said she "lost respect for her husband" because he lost his job and that she should not come home from work to see him "wearing her apron" in the kitchen. Of course, every family situation is different and they did not give enough background on this particular family, but the piece the edit room showed on the Hemmert's was tough to swallow.To watch the video segment & view the article, check out Recession Prompts Gender Role Reversal - Failing Economy Challenges Convention: Male Nurses, Stay-at-Home Dads
What are your thoughts of this segment?
Additionally, If You a Stay-at-Home Dad affected by the economic downturn, ABC News Wants to Hear From You: "In this recession, men have been losing jobs at a faster rate than women. For some men, that means becoming stay-at-home dads while their wives work to support the family. Are you a new stay-at-home dad or a new, sole-breadwinner mom? Part of your response may be used in a future ABCNews.com story, or an ABCNews.com producer may contact you for more information." If your situation fits this criteria, go to ABC News wants to hear from you
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I can't wait for one of these news shows to find someone to say "what will happen with these kids growing up without a real male role model." It's an important issue that needs to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteI THINK THIS STORY ABC DID WAS HORRIBLE...
ReplyDelete"HATE COMING HOME AND SEEING MY HUSBAND IN MY APRON...LOOSE RESPECT FOR HIM.... - WOMAN INTERVIEWED"
SOCIETY IS SO JUDGMENTAL!
thought you might like to see what i sent to abc news with regard to looking for stay at home dads affected by the economic downturn...
ReplyDeletei was let go from my office in october 2008. i had started a side business about a year before that and was able to maintain a decent workload to allow me to stay at home with our now 11 month old daughter.
i am a member of the nyc stay at home dads group that was initially contacted to participate in this particular segment until the focus was changed to include what you have aired.
i think what was aired was a fluff piece looking to make the men at home look overwhelmed and incapable of being or even wanting to stay at home with their child or children.
speaking for myself, i was elated to be let go from my office. i had already gone part time for a few months in order to spend some quality time with my new baby and wife while she was still on maternity leave from her place of employment. when i received word that i would be let go, it was like a dream come true. it was the kick in the butt i needed to move on and focus on my child and possibly make a run at a new career opportunity.
it would be nice to see segments in the future that focus on dads who have actually made the sacrifice to stay at home, either by choice or circumstance, to stay at home...cleaning, doing laundry, doing dishes, taking care of baby, and trying to work on the side. now that is a paradigm shift if you ask me, not showcasing a disappointed wife who says she has lost respect for her husband because he can't find a job.
I believe that men and women are both capable of filling the roles as breadwinner and homemaker/childraiser as and when required. Men and Women are more similar than different and most want what is best for their children which is a solid foundation for a family.
ReplyDeleteI am appalled at the lack of sensitivity of Mrs Hemmert towards her husband - the poor man has lost his job and is feeling low - how would she feel if she lost her job and he turned around and told her he had lost respect for her?
But I digress, the old attitudes towards gender roles needs to change as men and women are proving that both can fill the main roles needed to keep a family together and that it is acceptable for a man to be a homemaker as it is for a woman to be the breadwinner.