Surprising Sexist Statement from a University Professor

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?