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From: moiram@tektronix.UUCP (Moira Mallison )
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: deaf eyes
Message-ID: <3650@tektronix.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 20-Sep-84 16:49:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: tektroni.3650
Posted: Thu Sep 20 16:49:57 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 07:34:58 EDT
Organization: Tektronix, Beaverton OR
Lines: 48


(* why am I trying to make a reasoned response to rainbow? *)

>>Stereotypes are hard to break, especially when there continue to be
>>numerous examples to support the expected roll. For instance, I know a
>>number of "housewives" who actually do do nothing but sit around the house.
>>They sleep late(possible getting up for a short time to send the kids off
>>to school). Go out for late breakfast or early lunch with the neighbors to 
>>gab. Back for the afternoon soaps. And then of course the late afternoon
>>phone sessions. Now these people don't believe in cooking because their
>>husbands can afford to take them out and therefore insist upon it. They
>>send the laundary to the cleaners. Dishes get thrown into the washer.
>>Cleaning is a mutual job done on weekends. Work around the house is done
>>by the man. They lead a typical life of leisure. A sap if you may. They
>>milk their good fortune for all its worth. Its enough to make me look 
>>real hard before ever considering marriage. So, when someone says they
>>are a housewife, I'm not surprised its looked upon as a putdown. I know
>>my presented scenerio does not hold true for all, but you should realize 
>>this behavior is common enough to somewhat warrant the stereotypical 
>>responses you've seen.

. . .
>Deaf eyes; the art of reading what isn't there and not reading what is. My
>sympathies.
>
>Bizarre view??? I comment upon someone being amazed that housewives are looked
>down upon. I give an example of a couple people I know trying to explain 
>why this experienced behavior is so. I clearly state numerous times that 
>this is only true for a small minority. Yet since there are still valid
>examples which we all(most) can probably think of, the stereotype image will 
>remain. All it takes is one bad apple to perpetuate a myth.

You certainly did not "clearly state numerous times that this is only true for
a small minority".  Your statement was that "this behavior is common enough
...".  I read it the same way Chuck Bowden did.  Nowhere did you mention the
care and feeding of children, so I assume your description of this COMMMON
housewife does not include these tasks.  And yet, it was the response to a
woman who has chosen to not work OUTSIDE THE HOME while her children were
young that precipitated the discussion.

You didn't describe a housewife.  You described a princess.

Moira Mallison
tektronix!moiram

Q: what does a princess make for dinner? 
A: reservations