Wingnut Declares Dads Can't Match Moms in the Nurturer Department
Posted on 03. Mar, 2009 by Brian Reid in at home moms, at-home dads, gender wars, legislation
Before I go on an rip a Missouri lawmaker for a staggering stupid comment about fathers, let me first say that I am in favor of tax breaks and other government incentives to at-home parents. I feel even more strongly that *all* parents, regardless of employment status, should get some government largess.
That said, let me be the latest to call Missouri state rep Cynthia Davis out for a bill that would give at-home moms — but not at-home dads - 600 bucks a year to spend on their own education. Without the blatant reverse sexist, it’s a great idea. With Davis’ contention that the bill should benefit only women because “Mothers are natural nurturers. Fathers are not. It goes back to the hunter and gatherers type,” it becomes borderline idiotic.
I can’t possible hope to add much to Peter Baylies’ take, so go back and read his last couple of posts on the matter.
Kelly M. Bray
04. Mar, 2009
Well, we found someone even more clueless than Penelope Trunk. Persistence certainly does pay off!!!
Hicks
04. Mar, 2009
I think the bias is silly, but I’ll play devil’s advocate:
1. If you roll with the conservative Christian views, men are heads of household with women as helpmeets. Hence women are better nurturers than men, and men should be providing.
2. If you ditch Christianity and go with evolution, then women are better nurturers, and men should be providing.
I’ll readily admit that I’m not a natural nurturer, unless it’s a can of beer.
Feral Historian
04. Mar, 2009
I think people need to just get over the “men can’t be nurterers.” This ridiculous idea keeps get thrown in men’s faces and after a while it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I know that my boys will grow up knowing they’re able to nurture, because they’ve seen me do it and they’ve seen my friends do it. (Of my two best friends, one is a single dad and one is a stay-at-home dad.) But a lot of boys and young men don’t have these examples and so they believe the ridiculous ideas that get plastered all over the media.
Matt
05. Mar, 2009
I don’t understand how our ability to nurture impacts her argument. Natural or not, men are making the decision to forgo work for some number years to stay at home with their kids, and they may benefit from education just as much as a woman that has made the same decision.
The issue is Rep. Davis’ intention behind proposing the bill. Her legislation is a response to another bill that offers tax credits for day care expenses. She is trying to incentivize women to stay home. To Hicks point above, she does not want to incentivize men to stay at home.
rudy
05. Mar, 2009
If my wife dies while i sm a sahd, does that makes me more or a mom to my three sons. Some of us have lost our spouses to war. What does 6oo hundres dollars have to do with being any kind of special parent. Todays prisons are being filled faster with women then men. Sad to say some of to days women are real bad examples as any kind of mom. About half my neighbors are elderly couples that care for their grand children.
Do grand parents get this incentive when their daughters go to prison, war, to the grave. OR does the mom have to show she is in school to get the incentive or does she just gets it because she is a mom at home living on welfare, do to the bad economics. If it is so as to help those that do take care and love their children. both should get it. ONe has to remember we gave up our careers to be with our children. for many facts one is childcare, if we make to much money we do not get help to pay for daycare, insurance, food stamps, medicade,or even wic. It is best to stay home because there are bad strangers out there harming kids, Also the expense of using to cars for two jobs. Gas, food, and insurance cost so much. Since being home we save more than me not working, my wife makes more. She in the navy, I worry so i look for a job i can do when i am home for extra money. Like medical transcipts for example that cost to be trained. Those 600.oo would help. So to be trained. No matter if the parent has a vargina or penis. It is hard to find any one as good as you to take care of you own children. If the bill is out there it should be for both partents or the one that does stay home and does want to go to school. For know it is all cash for school. laters
Kelly M. Bray
05. Mar, 2009
Evolution? I am a natural nurturer, but I also am a dad who will insist my boys get back in the fun if they get knocked down. I will hug them, wipe the tears and send them right back. I also do a great job of putting mastodon on the table. Wait that was my ancestors!! Point is that none of these traits are mutually exclusive, but a range of skills and mindsets.