Media Portrayal of Husbands

Little has changed about the idea of the average husband in the past several years.  The husband has been seen as the strong, financially secure partner in a marriage, and the one who has difficulty showing his feelings.  Although the wife once faced the opposite stereotypes, much progress has been made toward obliterating those.  Husbands, however, are still being lumped into the same categories.

Negative attitudes toward husbands have also dictated that they are stubborn and incompetent by nature.  This ideology has made it not only into sitcoms and movies, but also into cartoons and other media aimed at children.  Fred Flintstone is a classic example.

We like to think that such negativity is in the past, but it still exists in the media today.  Commercials and television shows often portray husbands as the ones in the relationship who do not carry their weight when it comes to housework.  They may also be poked fun at due to their perceived inability to do anything right.

The Average Husband

There is plenty of talk about the average male, but in reality men are just as varied and multifaceted as women.  There is no denying that there are certain traits that are more commonly seen in men, but this does not always have anything to do with their sex chromosomes.  Just as society’s ideals have had an impact on how women are expected to act, they also have that sort of effect on men.

The truth is that if there is a so-called average husband, he has many more positive traits than the media lets on.  Husbands today are generally supportive of their wives in whatever path they choose, whether it’s a career, entrepreneurism, or being a housewife.  Instead of trying to dictate what his wife should do, the husband usually collaborates with her to figure out what will work best for them as a couple.

Men are also much more likely to participate in the housework, and to do so successfully.  They are savvy consumers who can do everyday shopping just as well as their wives, yet when it comes to large purchases they are willing to consult with her.  And although the pressure that tells men to hide their feelings is still present, more and more husbands are ignoring it and discussing their emotions with their wives.

If husbands were really like the media portrays them, marriage would probably be a lot less prevalent.  Today’s couples see marriage as an equal partnership, one where they both work together for the good of their family unit.  Perhaps one day the same amount of progress will be made toward eliminating these stereotypes aimed at husbands as there has been with wives.  This sort of progress would benefit both men and women.