To be properly green, you will tie women to the house

[Liability Bennett]

I went to university and I'm going back to do postgraduate next week, and I resent the idea that a person cannot both seek a fulfilling career simply because of their sex, or if they must, then be unable to make informed decisions about how to live their life more simply.

The subject I initially studied was social anthropology, within which we studied gender quite deeply, and there is no biological or psychological evidence to suggest that females are more naturally disposed to housework than males. Only historical legacy. To say that the female must be the one that stays at home is to deny same sex relationships, to deny females the right to ethically be what they want to be outside a kitchen, and, amongst many other valid points,to deny males both males and females identity based upon their own creation (for example, men may decide they like to stay at home foraging, and cooking, without having to decide that they are 'effeminate' - a word which is a complete social construction anyway).

I agree with the train of thought that in order to achieve an ideal of self sufficiency one does not need to turn to the past and be blinded to the benefits of living in the present. We have come a long way in our thinking - often we have reached this through experiencing great tragedies; the past is continuing to happen, and it is not now, nor has it ever been, not anywhere, not for anybody, ideal. The ideal is what we strive for, not what we have lost.

[Rod in Japan]

I'm a freelancer so I'm tied to the house. And my wife is house manager, so she's tied to the house too. We both really like being tied to the house, although we often get bored of our respective jobs. There's nothing inherently wrong with being 'tied to the house'. And it certainly reduces waste.

I read something online a few months ago about some effort to put a salary figure on the value of women's work at home, and it was 'surprisingly' high, larger than most men's - for what that's worth.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Ditto. We're both working from home. I like it. Going out is over-rated.

[Big Al]

Why is that when I was at home with the kids I was a 'housewife'...now my husband is at home with them he is 'unemployed'?

I'm constantly being asked why my husband 'hasn't got a job' - because looking after 4 kids and a house isn't working apparently! - people wouldn't ask a man if his wife had 'a proper job' if she was at home with a child.....


And deep breath out..... (sorry one of my pet peeves...)

Fight tooth and nail for your principles. I became a "househusband" in 1989 when we had our son. We decided that we wanted one parent off all the time so as I was out of work ( contract work ) and had previously had a back injury at work my wife had the better advancement prospects.

I was one of the first to write to major companies on this very issue and I called myself a househusband. Eventually big companied came along with the idea of "homemaker" as this took care of gender / sexual orientation / transgender/ homosexuual / bi / lesbian issues
etc.

I caused merry hell at "mother and baby" groups and in the end would walk calmly and casually into female toilets to look for the "Baby changing areas"

Also there is a financial implication to all this. If you apply for home insurance and state that you are a house husband or home maker or even a SAHD ( stay at home dad) typical bloody americanisms..... your policy will cost less than being "unemployed". The reason being is that you are generally in the house more than out of it during the working (how long is a homemakers day??) day.

Likewise for car insurance. If you are "unemployed you are a greater risk because you will undoubtably be using the car more.

Try it if you don't believe me. Find an online insurance quote and pick a proffession. Get the quote then with the same details pick an alternative proffession and get the quote. NOW THE DISCLAIMER.... I'm not telling you to tell lies on the proposal forms etc but there is subtle differences between being, say an office worker and a secretary if you can legitimatly call yourself either. These subtle differences make a big difference in the policy costs.....