Webster definition of a housewives: a married woman whose main occupation is caring for her family, managing household affairs, and doing housework. Over the past few years, I’ve literally heard it all. From people just talking around me, in earshot talking about housewives unknowing that I, myself was, in fact, a housewife. To people knowing I’m a housewife and flat out asking me some of the goofiest questions based on assumptions about housewives. A week or two ago I got a rude direct message on Instagram about being a housewife. I made an admittedly angry blog post about it if you wanna check it out. After thinking about it for a while I thought I would compose a list about the most common myths that I’ve heard or been asked about housewives.
Myth One
Housewives aren’t feminist and condone chauvinists behavior
I guess because being a housewife was the norm of the thing in the 1950s a time when women really didn’t have a “ strong voice “it's assumed that if you are a housewife you just condone the “good ol' boys club” point of view and mentality. It's assumed that a housewife is okay with being seen & not heard, barefoot & pregnant. Any of these idiotic saying sound familiar to y’all? Am I hitting a nerve yet? This is a complete bull, to put it mildly. I do consider myself a person that not only actively fights for but I strongly believe in women's rights such as equal pay etc. A have extremely strong opinions and or views when it comes to a woman's right to choose as well as control choices when it comes to her body. It's totally my choice to be a stay at home wife. It wasn’t forced upon me, no one's making me. It wasn’t expected of me. Also because I choose to stay at home doesn't mean I’ve lost all sense of myself or change the values my mother raised me with.
Myth Two
Housewives and our households with housewives are Republican
I almost laughed out loud when I heard this one. People let me make this extremely clear I’m black and gay. Nine times out of ten those two things don’t normally equal republican. I think not. While I’m not going to go into any detail about my political point of view I will say it’s a hard no on the republican point of view. This one kinda piggybacked off myth number one about the suppose good time in American where everything was sunshine & roses cough if you were a white guy. America was never really that great, to begin with in my personal opinion and the bigot that’s in the office currently in office has set off back a few years. Enough said on that one. I could go on & on about that but I won't.
Myth Three
Housewives Are Uneducated
Now this one is infuriating to say that least. I have an associate's degree in Hospital Medical Administration as well as a certification from the state of California for medical billing & coding. I’ve spent a lot of money & time on my education. I work full time while going to school trust me It wasn’t easy and most of the time it wasn’t fun. Working eight hours a day then driving in LA traffic to get to school then class then getting home after ten pm four nights a week plus studying & homework. Not to mention I have life experience. I have about fifteen years of experience in my field of study. For someone to call me or to just assume I’m uneducated based on the fact that I’m a housewife is a complete insult, a total slap in the face. I worked really hard and no one can ever take away my degree and accomplishments. In fact, I know several housewives who have master degrees, who are highly educated, and had very lucrative careers, not jobs people, careers which is why they are able now to be housewives. To say a housewives and or a stay at home mom is uneducated is just plain old stupid.
Myth Four
Being A Housewife Is Easy
Yaaaaaaa no it's not LOL. In order to be a successful productive housewife, you have to be extremely self motivated and dedicated. It's really easy to sleep late, never really get dressed and or get things to fall by the waste side. Trust me it's really easy! If anything I get up earlier & am very productive. Being a housewives is not the same as being a kept wife. My spouse expects this house to be clean & organized and the food prepared as she should. Just as I expect her to go to work and do her job and provide. The only difference between the two is that I don’t clock in & out. It’s a job, people. I have daily household tasks that need to be executed. I also have errands outside the home that need to be done for my spouse. Am I a neurosurgeon or physicist no but not everyone can accurately accomplish what I get done on a daily basis.
Myth Five
Housewives are Lazy
Well let me give y’all a rundown I vacuum, vacuum under sofa & ottoman cushions, dust, mop, swiffer floors, wash windows, wash baseboards, wash dishes, clean out panties, clean out fridge, clean out oven, whip down stove tops, counters, furniture, washcloth, fold clothes, hang up clothes, iron clothes, make beds, and organize EVERYTHING. Grocery shop at multiple stores. Do all the household shopping. Run errands for my wife. Pay bills in-person & online. I make my spouse's lunch daily as well as cook dinner. As well as create content for my YouTube Channel I do all my own editing for my channel as well as for this blog. I work with a lifestyle company. I’m writing a cookbook for Beer Kulture. I also have a side hustle where I put in fifteen to twenty hours a week in order to generate money for my household. I AM NOT LAZY. I’m on go from the moment I get up every morning which is between 6:00 am – 6:30 am every weekday and I don’t get a chance to chill until about 7:30 pm which is after dinner for us. Far from lazy people.
Myth Six
Housewives or Households that have Housewives are Rich
Now, this is a myth that I honest to God wish was true LOL just keeping it one hundred with y’all. Oh, how I would love to be rich. They say more money more problems but I would honestly love to find out for myself y’all. My wife and I currently live in a very old two-bedroom apartment. We do have hopes to move out within the next year. If and when we do move as it currently stands it would need to be a smaller single-family home big enough for me, my wife and fingers crossed God willing a baby. It will not be a three-story, eight-bedroom, mansion on a hill with a pool. We do have two cars a 2013 Toyota Camry, that’s almost paid off & a used 2014 Lexus, which we didn’t get until my wife got a big promotion at her last job. I don’t dive a Benz or hummer. We don’t eat lobster & shrimp five times a week. Am I poor? No. Am I destitute? No. Do we have debt? YES. At the end of the day, I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in the fridge. We are blessed and doing well enough for me not to have to work a normal full time job.
Hopefully, you got some insight into what a housewife is not. Hopefully, I shed some light on things for some of y’all who thought these things. It's safe to say I take my role very seriously as I should, as anyone with a job should. Because contrary to what many people think being a housewife is, in fact, a job! Until next time guys.