I am not sure who’s snapshot post was it because their name did not appear with their snapshot, but the one I am going to reference towards an image with a woman in the kitchen, and some words say, “Why, I’d be delighted to put my needs last again.” This image depicts the idea of what women back then presented to fulfill their roles within their home and partner. The idea of a woman staying home, caring for their kids, and supporting their husbands always seemed like the ideal image that many women wanted. Still, it is a false narrative because they envied men and lacked their potential as women, their own nature. A sexual and social role defines women according to what is appropriate and acceptable. Women lacked their participation in the world because of this desire of what a woman should be like.
A quote references back to the snapshot I posted of a woman doing chores that is actually a robot. The text “The Politics of Housework” by Pat Mainardi emphasizes the idea that for women to be liberated, they had to share their housework with their husbands as if it were a group effort. It also discusses the oppression that affects the views of what women are expected to do. According to Mainardi, “I can only explain it by stating that we women have been brainwashed more than even we can imagine, Probably too many years of seeing television women in ecstasy over their shiny waxed floors or breaking down over their collars.” (pg 1-2) Women are built into a system that empowers more men than women. Women that have consistently been doing their job are the reasons why men feel dominated. Men would rather dominate in fixing a cabinet or a light bulb than doing something that needs repetitiveness. Women are left with household services.
Reading this text, I interpret it in a way that men feel exploited by women, and what I mean by that is that men probably feel as if they are overworked and don’t benefit enough compared to women because women stay home. But they are honestly oblivious of how much women do. Men believe that they are above housework because some decide to do manual labor.
Women hold a big part in the creation of what is an ideal household. First, they are emotionally for their kids 24/7, plus they make sure their husbands are alright. They are always up on their feet in chores like dishes, laundry, cooking, buying groceries, taking the kids to school, etc. When women break that repetitive cycle and want a break, some men tend to use that to their advantage to make their women feel weak for not doing their “job.” But some men do help liberate that stress physically and mentally a woman feels.
Women spend most of their time creating a perfect home while their husbands live up to their money and career. I feel that women lack exposure to what is out there for them because they play a position that was automatically given to them.
