Sunday, January 26, 2003

As much as I try to keep current with at-home dad goings-on, I have to apologize for missing a biggie: the emergence of Dan Mulhern, the husband of Michigan's new governor, as at-home dad advocate. He's a new Rebel Dad, but he's taking the bull the the horns. He even held a Men's Forum to discuss where men like him fit into the social fabric: "The election of Michigan's first female governor is a huge moment for us as men to celebrate," Mulhern said, according to the Detroit Free Press. "Doors have been opened for us to play a role that our dads could not play."

This has apparently been a big deal in Michigan. It was mentioned and celebrated in columns and news stories.

The sad fact of at-home dadhood is that it just isn't much of a movement -- we're too busy making our homes the best they can be to bother making it our personal crusade. By definition, we're not high-profile people. We have no real lobby, and there are few spokesmen for the advantages and options that the lifestyle makes possible. That's what makes Dan Mulhern a special guy -- when the spotlight hit him, he illuminated what it is that we do and why it's important.

The tongue-in-cheek phrase for the admission that one is an at-home dad is "coming out of the pantry." And I can't think of a better coming out that the one Dan pulled.

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