Brady's “Why I Want a Wife”

Brady's “Why I Want a Wife”

Introduction

In Judy Brady's, “I Want a Wife” Brady takes a satirical approach to showcasing how men think when evaluating a wife. She plays the role of a typical male and lists all the attributes this male would love to have for a wife. He wants his wife to cook, clean and take care of the kids. He also wants the wife to listen to him when he wants her to, but doesn't want to feel obligated to listen to her when she needs to (361 Brady). However, this essay is a dated essay written around 1970, so these views are very old and should be seen as absurd in the present day. Surprisingly, some women still feel this is an accurate portrayal of men's thoughts on a female partner. One female from Queens, New York says “Guys aren't going to care about hearing you complain. Hah! I never had a boyfriend who really sat down with me and talked with me about my issues that I wanted to talk about.” Most men aren't that heartless and do considered the feelings and thoughts of their female partner.

Of course there are exceptions, but for the most part, it is appropriate and recommended to pay attention to a woman's needs. Men are compassionate like women. They probably do not express it similarly to women, but it does exist in males. However thanks to stereotypes, showing a compassionate side can be seen as weak for some men. Women can freely show compassion for each other physically and mentally. Males have an invisible barrier when comforting each other. They must be mindful as to how they go about it and make sure it is in a fashion that is “manly”. Society is keeping men from commonly experiencing or expressing compassion for each other. Those that do show compassion for fellow men can easily be declared as a homosexual, which for some is a great defeat.

Another common stereotype for men is that they are slobs. During a discussion about insects in households, a male said that he likes to use a lot of tissues before picking up a dead insect, a female responded with “That's lame just pick it up with your bare hand! Be manly and stop being a wimp.” Oddly enough, she herself uses excess tissues to handle insects as well. This show how it is perceived as common knowledge that males deal with disgusting things and are okay with it. Why is it expected for a male to subject himself to gross conditions just to fit the image of a societal male?

An ideal man is often seen as a rough male who is muscular and aggressive when needed. What about those who are strictly pacifist and have less muscular build? Are they any less of a man? Even as a child, this image of muscularity is pounded into your psyche as the image of a man. Then, as one grows older, they receive ...