Enough of the Stepford Wives Syndrome

You remember the movie... The former high-powered successful women turned into robot-like women, happily serving their husbands’ every whim?

We seem to have blurred fantasy with reality, or at least seem ready to want the Stepford fantasy over reality.

Take for example a news story this morning about the wife of Judge John Roberts. A news anchor led into the story asking, “Will remarks about abortion and politics by Judge Roberts’ wife hurt his confirmation?” Apparently Ms Roberts is ardently and actively involved with Feminists for Life, an anti-abortion organization, according to several reports.

Then remember Teresa Heinz Kerry? She was rather outspoken and a Gallup Poll reported her approval rating in the 30s, while Laura Bush’s was in the 70s.

Hilary Clinton, too, had her share of critics for being outspoken and an “uppity woman.”

What happened?

People today admire Eleanor Roosevelt as an activist first lady. Yet, during her tenure as first lady, she was often criticized harshly. Apparently we can accept a woman’s individualism and activism as a good thing -- as long as it doesn’t happen in our time.

Sure. In strong relationships, each partner is listened to by the other. In some instances, views are even altered because the partner has more facts, more ability to persuade, and in essence, a better idea.

Does that mean that we should condemn a nominee -- or anyone for that matter -- because his or her partner has a view that doesn’t agree with ours?

If we go there, we are requiring all partners to remain silent, to mirror the words and ideas of their significant other. We look at them as a well-groomed adornment, whose strings are pulled by campaign strategists and puppeteers, rather than as a model of an individual with his or her own ideas and abilities who just might add strength and different perspectives to the partners’.

What’s so bad about that?

I might have reservations about John Roberts. But what his wife does is not included in those reservations.

Written in conjunction with Jennifer Hicks.