Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Betty Friedan and Progress and the Lack Thereof

I've struggled a bit for how to note the passing of Betty Friedan, the feminist pioneer who has done so much to do away with gender roles. By blowing up the idea that women -- and women alone -- should be homemakers, she cleared the way for two generation of women to move into the workforce, and for a handful of families to try out the nifty concept of at-home fatherhood.

It's important to keep Friedan in mind, because the battle she ignited with The Feminine Mystique is still raging. Exhibit A: Swiffer is running an Amazing Woman of the Year contest. There is plenty not to like about the concept, but I'm focused (as usual) on the contest rules. Apparently, to be an "Amazing Woman," you need to be a mother or female guardian. Swiffer wants to honor "regular multi-tasker managing such activities as the home, family, volunteering, and other interests," and, in a pre-Friedan stroke of logic, they've decided that means, you know, a woman.

I don't want to be too much of a spoilsport here, but Swiffer ain't Redbook or Victoria's Secret. It's not aimed at women only. But it's decided to launch a marketing campaign through this "Amazing Woman" campaign that's not only targeted at women, it's targeted exclusively at women. So there's one more Proctor and Gamble product I won't be buying.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home