elle
I want a deal where a presidential partner--whoever they are--can either have a job or get paid for the one that they do. It's time to change the role of the political wife, and it's usually the wife. Have we ever seen a male Supreme Court Justice step down to care for an ailing partner? Plus, candidate's (generally) wives and daughters are expected to work for the campaign for free--and the schedules they maintain deserve at least some "pin money".
Somehow I imagine we'll have to see a male first lady before we really see any change, because if Michelle Obama's recent makeover is any indication this country STILL has a hard time with a woman with a job, let alone a powerfull highly paid one!
Michelle Obama Quits to Campaign Full Time
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16 comments:
Another informed discussion of differential treatment of authority based on gender, this time in the classroom.
First ladies and their children sacrifice so much for their men to be elected. They play a huge role in their husband or father getting elected. Full time job for sure. They have to dress nice, act proper, be a good example, constant community service. Just imagine if Michelle O showed up to her husbands speech in sweats or her two daughters were not as cute as they are. I believe that would have had a huge effect on President Obama’s campaign. This issue goes along with housework not being considered a job. Women’s work is not considered work no matter if it’s dishes or helping rule a country. How stupid.
Sarah Lembcke
Brian Zielke
I always hear on nightly news broadcasts about the first lady attending dinners, functions, fundraisers, schools or any other thing you would like to throw out and it too surprises me why they first lady does not get a salary. I have never really thought about this topic before reading this blog but it is a very interesting one that needs to be brought to everyone’s attention. For example I have never heard this brought up on any major news network or newspaper keeping in mind however that I am a teenager and I don't catch every Oregonian or nightly news with Brian Williams. It seems that the first ladies job is increasingly gaining importance and commitment with every president but we as a country have still yet to reward them for their hard work. I think one of the reasons we have yet to pay our first lady is because a lot of the work she does goes un-noticed by the general public and we take her for granted. I would have like to see our first, first man in Mr. Clinton this year and see how far we/he would have gone before something was changed to pay our first lady/man.
Brian Zielke
I have never thought about this topic into depth until reading this post, it really did bring a lot off issues to mind, not just the acts of the unpaid first lady. It seems to me that the job of the first lady is one of the most important jobs in the country. Each first lady from Martha Washington onward contributes to her husband’s historical reputation. The title of the first lady really does not have a certain job description; it’s time to negotiate a clearer role for the first lady. A role that has a job description and a salary appropriate to the range of responsibilities that comes with being the president's spouse. Or in James Buchanan case being the president’s niece. The sad thing to me I think is that it will take a woman being elected to see some change in this.
Darcy Wood
I agree with this completely. When the wives of these candidates must put there on lives on hold for the sake of keeping up appearances for the campaign and now with Michelle Obama doing it for the president appearances, it’s just not all that fair. These types of things happen all the time though, not just in the white house even, but in everyday life. For example, when a man and a woman both have careers and then they both decide to have children it is almost always that the woman will leave her job, if able to, to be with the child full time and that becomes her first job or priority. Not to bash on men or say that it never happens that a woman will go back to work and the man will stay at home with the kids, but that is definitely not seen as often.
Sara Steward
It is true, the first lady is always involved and always working. She should be paid for what she does. Obviously if she can't keep her job while being the first lady, it means the job of the first lady is too demanding.
I also agree with the post, I think it will last a first man in order for the income to change. People don't realize how much work is put into campaigning and events and charities. Another thing about the first woman, is recently Michelle Obama was photographed wearing an evening gown that was sleeveless. People in the news went crazy over this saying it was inappropriate, which I think is bizarre. Even if she were the President she should be able to wear a beautiful sleeveless gown to an event.
Sara Stride
It seems to me as though, the first lady should be paid for simply holding the title and having to put up with "the most powerful man in the world". If I was Laura Bush I would defiantly need to be paid so I could afford the massive amounts of pain killers that would be required to deal with George Bush, and his dork-ass (I’m sorry, I can be a bit opinionated). Also, if the first lady wants to get a job, it's not really like she can go to the local McDonalds. She pretty much, has to put up with not getting paid and not having any other form of income (other than from her husband). It seems really unfair to me and I think that Elle it right, no change will come until there is a man who is "the first lady”.
-Austin Cadwell
This is a very interesting perspective. I think that the first lady should get some pay for what she does as well. This work is considered the work of the first lady and in the past it was unpaid labor and so to shift would be a culture shock. However, we have gone through many changes in our society and I think that paying the first lady would not be a huge stretch. Paying the first lady would be recognizing the so called second shift. Although, this position is more of a full time job it is still a job that is expected to be done ,with out pay, by the woman just like all the cooking and cleaning and helping the children is expected to be done without recognition much less pay. I agree fully that the American public would realize this if they had a first gentleman that was unpaid and expected to do all the work that the first lady is expected to do.
-Maya Bernadett-Peters
This is a very interesting perspective. I think that the first lady should get some pay for what she does as well. This work is considered the work of the first lady and in the past it was unpaid labor and so to shift would be a culture shock. However, we have gone through many changes in our society and I think that paying the first lady would not be a huge stretch. Paying the first lady would be recognizing the so called second shift. Although, this position is more of a full time job it is still a job that is expected to be done ,with out pay, by the woman just like all the cooking and cleaning and helping the children is expected to be done without recognition much less pay. I agree fully that the American public would realize this if they had a first gentleman that was unpaid and expected to do all the work that the first lady is expected to do.
-Maya Bernadett-Peters
It is not fair at all, the activities that the First Lady must do. There are so many things that she must do including helping her husband campaign, supporting him through all of this, attending the fund raisers...need I go on? Not to mention the fact that it is probably expected of her to take care of the children on top of this. It is quite unfair that this is expected of her for free. She did have an excellent job before President Obama's run for presidency. She helped people who needed it, she was her own woman, she got paid, and she had a very respectable job.
Unfortunately, it is expected of her to give all this up in order to act the role of a wife, of a first lady, and not get paid for her hard work and dedication to the cause. How is she not like the other campaign workers? They get paid, of course. Why not the First Lady? Why is being married to the president not considered a job?
I think it's because "being married to the president" has so far been a female's job and it is believed the female can be exploited.
It is not this way in Ireland. In Ireland, there is currently a female president. Her husband does not have the same requirements that Michelle Obama does. He even keeps his original job (a dentist). Why is it so different in Ireland, just because there is a female president? It boggles me.
-Shannon Grealish
I totally agree with the fact that the first lady should be allowed to have a paid job. One that she wants and not one that is appointed to her. Never have I really thought about this topic before reading this blog but it is a very interesting one. With attending all her husband’s functions and speeches and being with her children, how is she suppose to bring money in for the family This is sort of relating to how women are just expected to stay at home with the kids and put a smile on for the husband when he comes home from a hard day at work. It's actually quite degrading to our first lady.
Kylie Russell
I think that you are completely right! Personally, I think that the first lady has just as much campaigning to do as the president themselves (especially during elections). As citizens we all know that we are just as much interested in who our president might be, as we are interested in who they are married to. The first lady shares the spotlight with her husband and is judged through every move that she makes and every bad outfit that she wears. Most of the time she is so wrapped up in helping her husband that she has to quit her actual job. I think that more kudos should be given to these women who are not only doing the housework, raising the kids but also trying to help their husbands run a country. I can’t wait until there is a first husband and we can see how things will work with that setup! Good luck to whoever he may be.
-Cassie Smoke
Have you ever heard the phrase “behind every great man, there is a woman?” Well, that’s obviously true in Obama’s case, who often references Michelle as a main source of inspiration. Don’t you think the confidant and mother of the leader of the free world’s children should get paid to maintain that image of poise, discipline and congeniality? I sure do. Historically there have been some very active first ladies including Hillary Clinton, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jacquelyn Kennedy. Michelle Obama, like Clinton, is a lawyer, a very high paid skill. That is taken for granted a lot in the Media who is consumed with Michelle’s latest fashion decision, and while the first Lady has some classic and contemporary style stints, she’s got a lot more going for her than just looks. I guess her salary is just another issue involving gender inequality. It is surprising how many people just don’t know or care about that kind of thing.
Carson Bortz
It has always been shocking to me why the first lady does not get paid. I am glad that someone has finally brought this up. Although it has been mentioned many a time there is very rarely a time when someone says this is exactly what i want. And why shouldnt the first lady get paid? She does a ridiculous amount of work for nothing, and the emotional toll that a job like that takes on someone has to be tremendous, so she should at least get a small salary for her efforts.
Kymala Lovisone
I think that most presidential partners, always women, step down from their jobs because they now have a new added responsibility. In Michelle's case I don't think that she stepped down because she was forced to in any way. She seems like a very strong individual and I think this was a conscious choice.
But there are still the pressures from the naysayers out there which makes her decision even harder.
-clara M
I totally agree. The women in this position do so much. They always say, behind every man is a good woman. What would he do without her? She probably picks his clothes out so what would he do without her? He would probably look like a slob! Never in the presidency has there been a president without a wife, and if there was, people would be very quick to judge. She has to stand there and back him up over every thing that is has done, good or bad.
For example, Hillary Clinton had to stand beside Bill when the allegations came out that he had sexual relations with another woman. Really, what could she have done, there was no way she could have left him without everyone knowing about it. She should get paid for that, because if she had left him, I feel that many men in today's society would have judged her and said she should have forgiven him. And for this, she doesn't even have an income for retail therapy! What's up with that!
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