"Shifting roles change dynamic in bedroom" shouts Thursday's lead story on MSNBC.com, a media partner in the year-long study of workplace trends led by California First Lady Maria Shriver and published by the liberal think tank Center for American Progress.
Instead of a thoughtful series on very real gender inequities in wages, unfair gender-rating of health insurance and antiquated employment policies that could truly elevate the public debate it now appears Cosmopolitan is advising the Shriver Report publicity team.
A fat check is the new heaving bosoms, so they say. There were no women making big bank that were actually interviewed for the story.
The piece subtitled "When she earns more, he aims to please" is an excruciating exercise in sexuality-fueled relationship politics that utterly destroys the report's giddy assertion that the "battle of the sexes is over."
"Derrick Hayes's wife, an oncology nurse, makes twice the money he does in his job as a juvenile corrections officer in Columbus, Ga.
And he since she brings home much of the bacon, he wants to make sure he's offering her some perks too. He leaves affectionate notes around the house for her and tries to keep the house tidy. And he wants to make sure he shines in one special area.
Since she is "handling certain areas of the relationship" like making most of the money, he said, “you've got to handle your business." By "business," Hayes means sex. "You’ve got to be creative. You’ve got to be good!"
Lovely. Good to know the unnamed Mrs. Hayes is getting some action.
Especially after a hard day's work in an incredibly stressful profession where she is likely exposed to dangerous chemotherapy toxins and radiation — a concern the study devotes an entire section to the workplace risks in female-dominated occupations.
Even more despicable is Chris Matthews' tittering "sex as reward for housework" interview with Shriver on his MSNBC show Hardball and his lecherous insinuations about her marital relations with husband, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger:
The most infuriating aspect of this media debacle is the Shriver Report is a well-sourced study on gender inequities in the workplace and at home — though its policy prescriptions on telecommuting and family leave policies focus far too heavily on improving circumstances for affluent, white mothers than the more intractable problems facing single women without children, low income women and women of color. I'm almost relieved that NBC News concludes this banal week-long series on the report Friday. Though I can only imagine we're in for a searing exposé on the new pickup line for middle-aged women on the prowl for younger men: "Hey, baby, what's your insurance co-pay?"
