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Original poster

Sorry - it's another link to the DM - but I KNOW this couple

87 replies

Treats · 02/02/2011 10:54

this article

Ironically I was just googling 'Feminism' and the name of the town I'm moving to in a few weeks because I was inspired by a thread on here to think about joining a feminist group. Coincidentally a couple I know from uni live in the next street and they've just popped up as the first couple featured in this article.

I think I'm going to faint........

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TryLikingClarity · 04/02/2011 12:02

I think a little bit of my brain died from reading that article.

I wonder what they'd think of me... I'm 26, have a 1 year old DS and a husband who earns enough to keep us. Yet I want to go out to work and relish it! I took a year off when DS was born and by the end of it I was getting so fed up at home that DH was almost pushing me back out the door.

Each to their own I suppose.

sakura · 03/02/2011 11:33

I just clicked on that link to the website and saw this ad:

What
would a
wise man
or woman do now?

Says it all to me. Why not say person ? Why put woman underneath man as an afterthought?

Original poster
Treats · 03/02/2011 11:30

Ah - just had another email. And he goes into a LOT of detail about some of the things he said that were missed out or reinterpreted. He DOES believe that children should be looked after by a parent but told the paper that he thinks this can be either Mum or Dad. He does bed and bathtime most nights and keeps weekends as family time - he only played cricket twice last season. He cooks supper quite often. He didn't say that he felt 'smug' but that it was nice not to have the stress that some of his colleagues have about who was picking the children up from nursery. He was annoyed that it came out making Rebecca look like his trophy but admits he should have known better with the Daily Mail. It was quite a rant......

I'm relieved tbh. I wouldn't have expected him to be as much of a feminist as I am but I was profoundly depressed to think that he really held those views.

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Original poster
Treats · 03/02/2011 11:02

No - they don't spell it out, and I don't really know many details either. However, if you look at the Issues and Criticisms bit of the site (under the 'About the School' heading) you'll see that they've been accused of being a bit of a cult - a philosophical cult, rather than a religious one. The report into the punishment regime at the schools is a bit of an eye opener as well.

There's more here. As it says, the curriculum of the School is a bit of a mystery - hence the 'cult' criticisms - but I think the key thing is the emphasis on practical philosophy being lived in everyday life. It's not hard to use the teachings of various obscure philosophers and economists to justify why a woman's place is in the home.

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vezzie · 03/02/2011 10:52

Treats - very interesting! I have looked at their website but I can't see what they are all about really - what their philosophy is. Can you say any more?

Also - I am so curious but will understand if you can't say - how do you know?

jonicomelately · 03/02/2011 10:50

And there is no way on God's earth that 'being a housewife is challenging'.
I'm not knocking SAHM (I've done it) but challenging it aint.

jonicomelately · 03/02/2011 10:48

This is totally out of order but there is no way that the wife Sam is 36 Shock

Original poster
Treats · 03/02/2011 10:44

Bit of insight for you - but I'm going to be a bit cagey because I don't want to infringe anyone's privacy.

I think these people were probably instrumental in this article appearing. There are also strong similarities with the Sunday Times news report about the Catherine Hakim research that was published before Christmas so I suspect they were instrumental in that as well.

They appear to be a respectable academic institution in their marketing (they advertise extensively on the Tube - those text heavy adverts with 'Philosophy' or 'Meditation' at the head). Many years ago I typed up some of their lesson plans (long story) and it was clear that rather than a rigorous exploration of the history of the philosophy, it was a highly selective cherry picking of quotations from famous philosophers to advance a particular world view.

There's a lot more about them on their website, so I won't expand here, as a lot of what I 'know' about them is actually hearsay.

Trust me - I'm no conspiracy theorist - but I do strongly suspect that they're very supportive of the Daily Mail's message that mothers should be at home with their children and are happy to help them write their articles.

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nooka · 03/02/2011 06:02

The pictures are all a bit odd aren't they? The children are making the most peculiar faces in the second story, but then if their father really is saying his work occupies 'every second of his time' then perhaps they are wondering who he is. I don't really get the other women are jealous line either. My dh is a SAHD and he would be very happy if my job paid oodles of mullah and he could stay at home playing video games and generally looking after stuff forever (each to their own and all that). Essentially I think that's really what most of the women are presented as saying, it's all very much about the money.

But reading that other blog I'm inclined to suspect it's all total rubbish in any case.

sakura · 03/02/2011 01:28

exactly SSM, not much of a catch is he?

Bramshott · 02/02/2011 21:33

Frankly Laura looks a bit like she's about to stab Mr "I can be quite difficult" with an ice pick! Or is that wistful thinking?!

LadyBiscuit · 02/02/2011 17:43

Kate - I reckon she's got a cocaine habit :o

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 02/02/2011 17:41

mind you, you'd think someone that pretty could have managed to bag a man who not only earns the money but is also capable of doing chores, like mine most of them.

Original poster
Treats · 02/02/2011 17:36

The photos are ick though aren't they? Especially the way they're all made up to the nines and wearing their best togs. Because they care about looking nice for their man, not like those nasty hairy feminists. And, because they've chosen not to work, they've got time to focus on the important things, like getting their hair and nails done.

Although Rebecca actually does look that good, without any effort.

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Blacksand · 02/02/2011 17:34

These women's lives are Cinderella.....IN REVERSE!

Original poster
Treats · 02/02/2011 17:30

PMSL at vezzie

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Unrulysun · 02/02/2011 17:25

Kate I don't know how you made it to the bottom photo without your eyeballs bleeding tears of futile lady-rage.

Unrulysun · 02/02/2011 17:21

Is SAHM synonymous with 'housewife' now? Because I need to know so that I can infantilise my husband by organising his sock drawer (who has a frigging organised sock drawer anyway) and presumably by shaking it for him once he's finished peeing.

CalamityKate · 02/02/2011 17:16

Doesn't Laura in the bottom photo look as if she's trying a bit TOO hard to look happy? Hmm

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 02/02/2011 17:07

It's funny isn't it, SSM. No-one expects men to all agree with each other on everything. For instance, nobody (I bet) says to e.g. the Archbishop of Canterbury "well why should we listen to you say that Jesus is the son of God when even other men don't agree with you?"

Whereas with women if some women hold a different viewpoint it's looked on as hypocrisy or something, as if we're one big hive-mind. "OMG Jane said she quite enjoys ironing whereas Anna said she is tired of doing all the housework and wants her boyfriend to do his bit. MAKE UP YOUR MIND(S)!!!"

vezzie · 02/02/2011 17:04

Jon leaves for work at 8 and gets home after 6. Well who the hell doesn't (if they work full time). I'm out longer than that as the bare minimum and everyone here with either no kids or wives thinks I am a bit of a slacker.
Sorry I know that's OT but I am a bit irritated by the way that there is a need to present every aspect of him as totally fucking heroic, when that is just basically having a job. "Jon finds time to shower every day, and at the weekends often clips his nails too. Teeth-brushing twice a day might seem beyond the call of duty, but to Jon it's basic dental hygiene."

sethstarkaddersmackerel · 02/02/2011 17:00

I read 'whatever happened to feminism?' as a sneer - ie you women might have been going on for years about how you want careers but when it comes to the crunch what you really want is a rich man to keep you.

ElephantsAndMiasmas · 02/02/2011 16:50

That was the line that got me, too, David. It's the fact that anything at all that these women do is for the children or the husband, even their sodding reading of the newspaper. Heaven forbid she's just reading them to find out what's going on in the world, with no direct benefit to Mr Big Bollocks.

Are the DM presenting this in a positive light, do you think? (serious question)

I was absolutely Shock Angry Shock at the "whatever happened to feminism?" subheading. The fucking fuckers, if you'll pardon my french. They don't seem to show much concern about feminism the rest of the time, when they're hammering it home that we can't have it "all" (work and children) despite the fact that women have been managing this for the past few millennia.

In fact, the DM may be the original concern troll.

David51 · 02/02/2011 16:33

'I read lots of books and news­papers, because I would hate to think I have nothing to talk about but the children and the home when Jon comes back from work.'

Sad
DirtyMartini · 02/02/2011 14:56

Is anyone else reading this in tandem with this thread?

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