Two stories on opposite sides of the world are a reminder that an awful lot of stereotypes about women, and men, haven't changed at all.
An Australian state Opposition leader has got into trouble for calling the premier's wife a mail-order bride. (She happens to be from Malaysia - actually highly unlikely to be a source of women using paid online marriage arrangement services, since it is far too wealthy.) It left me wondering why "mail-order bride" should be considered, as it undoubtedly is, a nasty term of abuse?
Perhaps the suggestion is that anyone who is a "mail-order bride" is little better than a prostitute (an uncomfortably obvious exposure of the traditional economics of marriage) and anyone who marries them can't get a "proper" woman - a slur on his manhood indeed. I wonder, if you called such women "economic refugees", would they get better treated?
Then in France, that home of supposedly sophisticated relations between the sexes, the Interior Minister, and possible future President, Nicolas Sarkozy is, according to The Telegraph considering divorcing his wife Cécilia, since while the French public apparently has no problem with male politicians having several simultaneous relationships, one of their wives doing the same thing is considered a reflection on her husband's virility.
Why even, if this were true, should virility have anything to do with political ability? Is there some hint here into the reasons why women candidates can find selection committees, if often not voters, so resistant to their campaigns?
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On another side of stereotypes, the Sydney Morning Herald's Spike column reports that the second and fourth most common Australian web searches for men are New Kelly and Slim Dusty (an old-style country music singer, now dead). Funny how one of the most urbanised societies on earth clings to its foundation myths.
Shane Warne (cricketer) and John Howard (current, dreadful Prime Minister) were first and third, for the record.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
Australians can be lovely people, but their blind adherance to their massively-macho-shithead culture & history is something they probably should weaned themselves away from by now. A nation of 'Iron Johns'.
2 - Victor Lana
The problem is a pervasive double standard in the western world. For example, imagine if we had a movie like WEDDING CRASHERS with Reese Witherspoon and Drew Barrymore as the stars. We wouldn't get to see it because it would be about two promiscuous women and the studios wouldn't like that.
As for Australia, I don't think the men are any better or worse than men anywhere else in a "western" country. Maybe American men search for "Dale Earnhardt" and "Johnny Cash" more than women do. I don't know if that proves anything.
3 - LegendaryMonkey
Actually, Victor, we did get to see "The Sweetest Thing" (though I'm not sure that's a benefit), which was basically about three sexually open and unaffected women who were somewhat promiscuous. So I think that double standard is falling somewhat. I suppose when it comes to stereotypes, that's a good thing.
As for cinema... well. That's a discussion for another day.
4 - Natalie Bennett
All too true, I'm afraid Nancy. I've lived abroad for 12 years or so, and can't imagine ever going back by choice.
5 - Victor Lana
Legendary, you're right that once in a while something breaks through: think THELMA & LOUISE. But mostly it's a sexist genre (film) and that's why we never have full frontal of males and yet we always see naked women (unles sit's porn or the like).
6 - LegendaryMonkey
I see your point there, Victor. Exceptions are just that. Though from some of the full frontal shots I've seen, I rather hope that we get less male nudity in the future of film, not more....
All jokes aside, I think stereotyping IS a big problem in Hollywood when it comes to gender roles, though I do have some hope it is breaking down of late. As for the rest of the world, they can't seem to decide what they want, and nothing will change until they do.
7 - Natalie Bennett
To update, the NSW opposition leader has been forced to resign.
8 - Natalie Davis
NSW Opposition Leader John Brogden's resignation comment: "I acted dishonourably and now is the time to act honourably." Indeed.
One small victory against the patriarchy...
9 - kitkatsavvy
I have always faced a "typical female" stereotype because I am a women. Even though I can drive forklifts, did 2 years of a mechanical engineering degree, played in a brass band, spraypainted my own car, makes models, etc etc etc, I have always had the 'outcast' tag applied to me. Just because I am female and I am interested in mainly male dominated areas, I am considered "weird", and my own family doesn't even care about what I do at all. I just hate all these stupid stereotypes that are still out there. It seems all those women burnt their bras 40 years ago for nothing! *sigh*
10 - Shay LaChelle
of course there are good and bad stereotypes about women. but that does not give people the right to say women cant do this b/c men are better. i prefer equality. have you ever thought of it that God made women differently from men for a reason? Women are naturally nurturing and caring while men can be very constructive because they naturally want to build things. all the buildings in the world right now are man made...so does anyone get my point? women and men are born differently, naturally.
11 - Natalie Bennett
...because women haven't been given the building opportunities - see comment 9!