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Melissa, Hernandez
Professor Ditch
English 113A
6 December 2014
Stay-At-Home Fathers
Many men fail to get noticed when they perform feminine tasks because they dont
perform the appropriate gender roles society expects. Masculinity and femininity are socially
constructed. In the Western society men are supposed to be the financial provider while women
are the primary caregivers. The visual text I analyzed is a bearded man holding a baby with a
pink glove and a dustpan in his hand with big bold letters above him saying He Can Do It!
This photo is similar to the Rosie the Riveter image that says We Can Do It! it reminds people
to try new things, to encourage, and to push ourselves to the limit. The visual text is arguing that
people in society believes males have the ability to be stay-at-home fathers and perform
traditionally feminine tasks. A feminine task would be child-rearing and cleaning and a female
characteristic would be passive and submissive. I agree with the argument the visual text is
making because I believe males have the potential and should have the same equality as a female
to be a stay-at-home parent. Stay-at-home dads should get recognized because staying home and
raising your child is a full time job. Although this image is seen as a positive representation of
stay-at-home dads, many fathers receive criticism from being stay-at-home parents because its
not something society is accustomed too.
Stay-at-home fathers receive a lot of negativity because its not something society sees in
everyday life. Most men are pushed into the work place to provide for their families while

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mothers stay home taking care of the kids and working around the house. Men are seen to be less
when the female provides for the family. In my Sociology class my professor explained that
patriarchy is a system in which the majority of power is held by males. That means society
doubts the patriarchy of males when theyre stay-at-home fathers because theyre not head of the
family. The first reaction many people get when they see a stay-at-home dad is who takes care
of the bills or what do you do to provide for the family? In other words, society sees it as a
norm when males work to provide a living for their families, but when its the opposite and
female works, the male is seen to be weak and lazy. Its hard for society to see males as a
motherly figure because society portrays men to be dominant, tough, and hard workers.
In the article, Gender Role Attitudes and Characteristics of Stay-at-Home and Employed
Fathers by Jessica Fischer and Veanne N. Anderson talks about the gender-type characteristics
and gender-role attitudes of stay-at-home fathers and the way they experience discrimination.
The article states that Men who violate gender role expectation by behaving in stereotypically
feminine ways or not behaving in stereotypically masculine ways, such as stay-at-home fathers,
may experience prejudice and backlash. (Fischer and Anderson pg2) In other words, when men
perform a traditionally feminine task or are perceived as feminine, they often receive negativity
because they fail to follow prescribed gender roles. The article provides many examples of
stereotypes towards stay-at-home-fathers. Fathers are seen not to have appropriate characteristics
to be a caregiver. Mothers are often seen to have a better relationship with their children while
fathers are seen to be less involved and less affectionate.
In another article, Stay-At-Home Fathers: Masculinity, Family, Work, and Gender
Stereotypes David John Petroski examines the views society gives to stay-at-home fathers.
Fathers can become primary caregivers by choice, or by force, for example getting laid off and

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losing your job. Fathers become caregivers to parent their children knowing people will see them
differently and from another point of view. Although, The fathers parent differently than
mothers do, but it is still a loving, supportive role that they play. (Petroski 2) Stay-at-home dads
are often referred to as Mr. Mom even though its not what they want to be known as. The
article provides an example saying, Some see the stay-at-home dads role as doing
nothing, perhaps being an incompetent employee or a henpecked husband. (Petroski 2) To put
it in other words, society may sometimes see stay-at-home fathers as lazy, irresponsible, and
careless. Stay-at-home fathers receive harsh criticism because they believe fathers arent much
help or they arent around when you need them most. Men receive an enormous amount of
judgment from society and are failed at being noticed that what they are doing should be seen as
positive rather than negative.
The two articles Gender Role Attitudes and Characteristics of Stay-at-Home and
Employed Fathers and Stay-At-Home Fathers: Masculinity, Family, Work, and Gender
Stereotypes both talk about the negativity of stay-at-home fathers but many people can find
positive reactions of stay-at-home fathers. Although the photo of the man with the baby can be
seen negative, theres many positive reactions towards stay-at-home fathers. When a father is
known to be a primary caregiver many people silently applaud them because its not something
thats common in todays society. In the article, Night to His Day: The Social Construction of
Gender by Judith Lorber talks about two fathers at the bus stop and the reaction that was given
to them by the people around them. Lorber says both men were quite obviously stared at
and smiled at, approvingly. (Lorber 19) Men can receive negative comments but as well can get
positive comments. Many woman see it as a positive gesture because its a role many men dont
play in society and they get the understanding that men can do what females do too. Lorbers

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article argues that men are changing the roles of fathers. (Lorber 19) Gender is part of our
daily lives. Society gives these certain expectation of how men and women should be and sees it
as unusual when we perform the opposite gender. I agree that many people see stay-at-home
fathers as a positive way rather than seeing them as less of a man because men should have the
same equality as females.
Society reacts more negative rather than positive when they come across stay-at-home
fathers. One reason is because the biology of males. Men are seen to have high testosterone
which allows them to be more aggressive, dominant, and tough. It makes it harder for people to
believe they have the ability to be a stay-at-home father because that requires an extreme amount
of patience. Society believes theres a traditional masculinity men should present themselves
with but being a stay-at-home father doesnt fall under traditional masculinity because thats a
females job to take care of the house and children. Traditional masculinity being strong, having
emotional toughness, and being self-reliant. Men who depend on females to take care of financial
matters arent self-reliant because they depend on the female while they stay home. Males are
undermined when they try to take care of their baby and clean around the house. Its easy for the
people around them to judge, but being a stay-at-home father requires just as much work as
actually being at a workplace.
As seen in the image, many men are starting to change gender roles and are beginning to
be stay-at-home fathers. Even though this image is meant to send a positive message, many
fathers still get criticized from being a stay-at-home father. Men are usually seen as dominant
and aggressive, and get criticized because its rare and uncommon to see fathers perform in a
nurturing and feminine way. Fathers get harsh reactions because they fail to perform the
appropriate gender role, but society should see the bigger picture that all fathers want to do is

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parent their children. I believe men should have the same equality as females to be a stay-athome parent. This image should change the publics view that stay-at-home fathers arent lazy or
irresponsible rather than there productive of what they do at home. The main focus of the overall
image is that men should get noticed and be supported of when they become stay-at-home
fathers because its not as easy as we think. Society needs to reconsider that gender roles are
changing and will continue to change as the years go by.

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Works Cited
Fischer, Jessica, and Veanne N. Anderson. Gender Role Attitudes and Characteristics of StayAt-Home and Employed Fathers. Psychology of Men and Masculinity 13.1 (2012): 1631. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Oct. 2014.

Lorber, Judith. Night to His Day: The Social Construction of Gender. From Paradoxes of
Gender. Copyright 1994 by Yale University Press.

Petroski, David J. Stay-At-Home Fathers: Masculinity, Family, Work, and Gender

Stereotypes. Cios. Copyright 2006. Web. 30 Oct. 2014