Men's Lib

It’s funny how little society expects from fathers.  The fact that Michael Chabon was complemented on his parenting skills because he took his son to the store is outlandish.  Mothers are expected to be carting their children around.  The father figure has a very poor reputation.  I think that it’s great that Sweden, Germany, and California is permitting paternity leave.  It is about time that the father takes a more active role in the raising of the children.  I am surprised that parenting roles are not more balanced seeing as the number of women in the workforce has increased in the last few decades.  The other interesting fact in this article is that 10 of the 12 jobs that are expected to grow are stereotypically women’s jobs.  Thus, men are going to have to fill these roles if they want to remain in the workforce.  Since the unemployment rate is so terrible, people are exhausted from searching for new jobs.  Men’s unemployment rate is 20.5%, which is 3% higher than women’s unemployment rate.  This fact is worth noting.  Why are men being lazy? In several of the articles we’ve been reading it seems that when men hit an obstacle such as school or work they give up.  The final sentence of this article is couldn’t say it better, “After all, what’s more masculine:  being a strong, silent, unemployed absentee father, or actually fulfilling your half of the bargain as a breadwinner and a dad?”  When you put it that way, what’s wrong with men??!!! I’d be embarrassed to that kind of a man or woman.  Society needs to change with the way the workforce is shaping.   Be proud that you are providing for your family whether you are a construction worker, nurse, or teacher.  I’d rather my dad have any of the stereotypical female jobs than be a bum.  Roles are changing, and these new roles need to be embraced.  Our society will benefit more from it.