The excerpt is from a 1950s home economics book and it doles out 10 sexist tips on how a woman should take care of her husband.
"Let him talk first," said no woman ever. It is a wife's marital right to begin and end every conversation and sorry gentlemen, it is not up for discussion. But, an excerpt from this 1950s home economics book contradicts this universal truth and people are finding its contents quite hilarious if not altogether ridiculous.
The excerpt features "tips to look after your husband" and it caught the attention of social media users for obvious reasons. The article's content is sexist and highlights how fixed gender roles were back then. Some of the most common advice printed in the book included staying quiet when the husband is around, greeting him with a smile, taking off his shoes when he comes back home, and never complaining.
The ten tips for taking care of one's husband as per the book are as follows:
1. Have dinner ready
2. Prepare yourself
3. Clear away the clutter
4. Prepare the children
5. Minimize all noise
6. Make him comfortable
7. Listen to him
The vintage book made it clear that women are the submissive gender, and men dominate. You could maybe take a couple of notes from this excerpt on giving some TLC to your husband, but certainly do not follow the tips to the T. It is rooted in toxic masculinity, placing husbands in the 1950s on a godly pedestal.
Elaborating on the "Prepare yourself" tip, wives are encouraged to get dressed for their husbands and look presentable with neatly done hair and makeup. The husband might need a little mood lift, so wives are urged to be in control of their emotions. Another category says, "Have dinner ready." So women, do not even think of serving leftovers because it does not matter if you are equally tired. The dinner must be pre-planned and ready on time.
Perhaps the funniest tip of them all is "Prepare the children." It states: "Take a few minutes to wash the children’s hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair, and if necessary, change their clothes." So my dear moms, next time your offspring morphs into a monster before your husband arrives, kindly take out that magic wand and turn them into angels, ok?
A common theme that runs through the article is male chauvinism and we presume it is the masterpiece of some male writer.
The excerpt also serves some don'ts, again for women. It says: "Do not greet him with problems or complaints. Do not complain if he is late for dinner. Count this as minor compared with what he might have gone through that day." That sounds interesting. The husband's mood has been given paramount importance, but the wife's feelings have not been acknowledged. The author is definitely a guy.
Reddit users had a good laugh about the excerpt after it was shared to the r/funny forum and some savage comments had us in fits. @Separate-Owl369 wrote: "I gave this to my wife, and she loves it. I have my own bedroom now." @Cannabis_Sir quipped in the comments: "You say bedroom, but you mean shed - You now sleep in the shed."
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