Here’s a surprising statement I found in a news article, quoting a Yale psychology professor.
“Moms vary markedly in their roles as breadwinners from no income at all to really helping dads,”
The language implies that money-making is the father’s responsibility, and the best rating on the scale that a woman can achieve is “helping” a man. While I recognize that the professor was very likely speaking in the context of roles within the family unit, presuming that the family includes both a mom and a dad whose achievements can be measured and compared meaningfully, Larry Summers was resoundingly skewered for making an off-the-cuff statement acknowledging the existence of the position that men have a biological advantage over women when it comes to math.
Oh, whoops, I double-checked that quote from the university professor. That’s not what he said. Here’s what he REALLY said (emphasis added):
“Dads vary markedly in their roles as caretakers from not there at all
to really helping moms,” Kazdin said. (MSNBC.com)
Again, I recognize that Kazdin was answering a reporter’s questions, speaking without notes or a chance to revise. But I’m sure that any professor who made the first statement (ghettoizing breadwinning women into the role of spousal “helpers”) would have caught some well-deserved flak.
Can you spot the double-standard?
Mr. Summer’s comment makes a recent appearance in this NY Times article. So talk about “open mouth, insert foot!”
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/13/science/13conv.html