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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what position you think you’d have in the handmaids tale society?

159 replies

Econowifeonabudget · 03/08/2023 19:52

Been rewatching recently and the whole society is so alien to me. I struggle to understand how their economy functions given that they don’t appear to have widespread internet access, manufacturing, consumerism being the norm, exports etc. However, it did make me wonder what would happen if the handmades tale society existed in the modern day UK. I would guess I’d be an econowife given I’ve never committed any of the major ‘sins’ that might make me a handmaid but myself and DH are certainly not rich, powerful or religious. My guess is that many on mumsnet would be commanders wives. I know a few individuals in real life who would revel in being aunts and commanders respectively (shudder). Aibu to ask what position you think you’d have in the Handmaids tale society?

OP posts:
N0tfinished · 03/08/2023 19:55

I would be a Martha since I'm past childbearing age, or shipped off to colonies? It was a little vague on who got sent there, was it just undesirables or those no longer useful? I'd imagine their economy was aided by slave labor.

FFSDILIGAF · 03/08/2023 20:03

Id have been smart enough to get the hell out of dodge before the lunatics took over the asylum.

Id be living my life freely in Canada.

I keep meaning to watch this all again before the final season starts.

OHVanessaShanessaJenkins · 03/08/2023 20:06

What a brilliant question op!

I too think that the majority of MNs would be commanders wives.

I would be in the colonies definitely. Nothing at all to offer in terms of child bearing, can’t and do not cook so no good as a Marther, maybe housekeeper.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 03/08/2023 20:06

Dead.

HaveYouHeardOfARoadAtlas · 03/08/2023 20:08

I’m a midwife so probably an Aunt Lydia! But I’d try and be nice and look after the handmaidens.

Curtainpoles · 03/08/2023 20:09

Probably a handmaid. Good childbearing history, young enough to have more, and divorced.
I am a trained midwife though so possibly they'd make me be an Aunt and help at births?

DingDongDenny · 03/08/2023 20:09

Given my DH is a lecturer - probably dead or the colonies for me. If I was very lucky, a Martha

Isseywith3witchycats · 03/08/2023 20:10

i would probably be a martha past childbearing but a good cook

PinkFootstool · 03/08/2023 20:10

Well, handmaid in theory due to my past life, but more likely packed off to the colonies as I'm 42.

Lostmyway86 · 03/08/2023 20:19

I think I'd be a handmaid! Had a child with a man out of wedlock who has two older children. We've since married and had another DC, but I think all of the above would be enough to put me in sin! Still child bearing age. What a terrifying thought. I'd probably last 5 minutes and end up in he colonies....

ReleasetheCrackHen · 03/08/2023 20:21

I highly recommend the books by Atwood because the TV series doesn’t reflect her books very well. It starts out alright but then goes down a much darker path which is why it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.

Id be an Aunt in that world because that’s what happened to older women like me.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 03/08/2023 20:22

Unwoman absolutely

Againstmachine · 03/08/2023 20:22

I'd be in Canada, scary thing is if this happened with way the USA is going you wouldn't be surprised.

Chowtime · 03/08/2023 20:24

colonies

You forgot about the sex workers in the club

StillWantingADog · 03/08/2023 20:25

Econowife perhaps
but like pp said hopefully I’d have had the foresight to get out of there quickly before it was too late

Hankunamatata · 03/08/2023 20:26

Handmaid. Too fertile for my own good

Theeyeballsinthesky · 03/08/2023 20:27

I’m Infertile and older so off to the colonies as an unwoman

DomesticatedZombies · 03/08/2023 20:29

In the colonies or a Martha, my cooking might save me the labour camps.

MotherWol · 03/08/2023 20:30

Me and DP aren’t married so not an econowife. Possibly shipped off to the colonies? I’m not (quite) past childbearing age, but both my pregnancies have resulted in intervention-heavy births, so I reckon I’d be a handmaid who died in childbirth.

TokyoStories · 03/08/2023 20:31

Not sure. Probably a handmaiden or a Jezebel?

How did they know June had an affair with a married man? And what criteria did women have to meet to become Jezebels?

TokyoStories · 03/08/2023 20:32

Actually I can cook so maybe a Martha. That would be preferable too I think.

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 03/08/2023 20:33

TokyoStories · 03/08/2023 20:31

Not sure. Probably a handmaiden or a Jezebel?

How did they know June had an affair with a married man? And what criteria did women have to meet to become Jezebels?

I expect they had access to the divorce papers.

CruCru · 03/08/2023 20:34

I am married but we are not religious. Possibly a Wife if we can fake being religious in the correct way.

smilingthroughgrittedteeth · 03/08/2023 20:34

Martha i think, ive had a hysterectomy so no good as a handmaiden, not in an economic or social bracket to be a commanders wife but i am a fairly good cook

tt9 · 03/08/2023 20:36

I'd probably be killed very early on for being mouthy/stubborn/prone to fighting back physically ... but rather be dead than alive under such circumstances