Thought for the Day How do you know if it’s time to wash the dishes and clean ...

[Paul Whybrow]

How do you know if it’s time to wash the dishes and clean your house? Look inside your pants. If you find a penis in there, it’s not time.
Jo Brand

 

[Claire G]

This made me wince. I get that there's still inequality between the genders in terms of division of chores, pay etc. and that there's a whole historical, sociological and cultural context that generally makes society less affronted by female-to-male sexism, but imagine if a man said such a statement about women, e.g. How do you know if it’s time to wash your car? Look inside your pants. If you find a vagina in there, it’s not time.

 

[Pamela Jo]

I get that Claire, but I love that Jo is an actual nurse in real life. She does know of what she speaks. And since I am the only female in a house full of males......... I cannot help but nod. As long as there's a woman in the house, it does not occur to the males that every surface is covered with dirty pots and dishes. My husband will wash his one skillet so he can make his breakfast. What is interesting is that if it involves a machine like a dishwasher or vacuum then the rules change. This is one reason I never learned to make coffee in Japan. If you dont' know how you cant be made to leave the meeting to go make it. I do appreciate that most young men today wince when they see yet another comment on women drivers etc. On the other hand there is a whole new generation of mysogynists that think women aren't competent to vote.

 

[mickleinapickle]

Mrs Treaclechops and I have clear demarcation lines. She cooks, and cleans the house. I wash the dishes, and do the weekly laundry. Occasionally I'll cook, and she washes the dishes... but only when the meal is fairly simple. Worked OK for the last 50 years.

 

[Sedayne]

Jo is an actual nurse in real life

She served a significant amount of time as a mental health nurse some 30+ years ago, but legally, you can't call her a nurse when she's no longer registered. She'd have retired by now anyway if she hadn't left the profession for comedy, so off the register either way.

Her experience working with patients has definitely informed her comedy, though. I used to love her stand-up in the 90s when she was the Sea Monster, and she still makes me laugh.

On the other hand there is a whole new generation of mysogynists that think women aren't competent to vote.

Yeah, this is really scary, and becoming more and more evident.

This made me wince. I get that there's still inequality between the genders in terms of division of chores, pay etc. and that there's a whole historical, sociological and cultural context that generally makes society less affronted by female-to-male sexism, but imagine if a man said such a statement about women, e.g. How do you know if it’s time to wash your car? Look inside your pants. If you find a vagina in there, it’s not time.

I'm guessing this quote might be from a long time ago, but I could be wrong.

The thing is, some men do say things like that about women and get away with it. The inequality is that we are so shocked when a woman says it about a man. But I think that's Jo's intention, at least partly.

And it's comedy. Not necessarily real life. I'd guess that her husband, who is/was a registered mental health nurse for much longer, will be pulling his weight in that household.

My husband does most of our housework, by the way, because I work longer hours in a better-paid job.

Like Mick says, it's whatever works over decades of fitting together.

 

[Claire G]

Sweeping generalisations about any group are unhelpful. Anecdotes can support any argument.

 

[Sedayne]

Sweeping generalisations about any group are unhelpful. Anecdotes can support any argument.

Sorry - I wasn't really arguing, just anecdoting. I believe in equality for all humans. Comedy skews this for laughs, and my laughs are often guilty ones.

 

[Claire G]

Sorry - I wasn't really arguing, just anecdoting. I believe in equality for all humans. Comedy skews this for laughs, and my laughs are often guilty ones.

I'm not arguing, just expressing sadness really. I've been told that some of the novel openings I've shared display an anti-male attitude, but I have female characters who are dickheads too. It's a minefield.

 

[E G Logan]

This made me wince

A lot of what she did (?does) made me wince. It's her 'thing'. And yes, there are men who trade on unpleasant laughter, too.

 

[E G Logan]

I've been told that some of the novel openings I've shared display an anti-male attitude

As a reply, try 'it's useful to know you think that'... and go away and think hard about whether you want to take it on board.

Cogitation might go thus: 'There might be others... Yes, but how many other people will think that? Really??'

 

[Hannah Faoileán]

I wash the breakfast dishes; my partner washes the evening dishes. (If either of us have lunch at home, we wash our own.) I'm on a win because there's nearly always more evening dishes.
I'm out or working in some capacity more often in the evenings, and he's the better cook plus he likes cooking, so he cooks dinner more often than me, but I make a mean porridge in the morning .

 

[Pamela Jo]

She served a significant amount of time as a mental health nurse some 30+ years ago, but legally, you can't call her a nurse when she's no longer registered. She'd have retired by now anyway if she hadn't left the profession for comedy, so off the register either way.

Her experience working with patients has definitely informed her comedy, though. I used to love her stand-up in the 90s when she was the Sea Monster, and she still makes me laugh.


Yeah, this is really scary, and becoming more and more evident.


I'm guessing this quote might be from a long time ago, but I could be wrong.

The thing is, some men do say things like that about women and get away with it. The inequality is that we are so shocked when a woman says it about a man. But I think that's Jo's intention, at least partly.

And it's comedy. Not necessarily real life. I'd guess that her husband, who is/was a registered mental health nurse for much longer, will be pulling his weight in that household.

My husband does most of our housework, by the way, because I work longer hours in a better-paid job.

Like Mick says, it's whatever works over decades of fitting together.

My three Aunts were all registered nurses. Two of them spent time as psychiatric nurses. I would say there is no such thing as a retired nurse.

Couples that stay together find a way to work out the terms, but as someone who quit paid work because my salary just put us in a higher tax bracket I never felt that meant I was relegated to doing housework as a fair exchange. My contribution earns me half that salary, not makes me the housekeeper. Esp since it's my financial decisions that have got us mortgage free.

"And it's comedy. Not necessarily real life. I'd guess that her husband, who is/was a registered mental health nurse for much longer, will be pulling his weight in that household." Probably is, but unless you doubt her word-its not by doing dishes.

 

[Sedayne]

My three Aunts were all registered nurses. Two of them spent time as psychiatric nurses. I would say there is no such thing as a retired nurse.

It's a legal thing for patient safety - a protected and regulated title. It can't legally be used unless you are registered and regularly revalidated as competent to practice - at least in England & Wales that's the case.

 

[Pamela Jo]

But all of the publications about her cite her being a nurse. She earned an honorary doctorate not as a comedian but for her contributions to nursing and mental health, Not sorry I called her an actual nurse.

 

[Sedayne]

That's okay, but she's not actually registered to practice in any kind of legal sense. Anyone can search the NMC register to check this.
I read her first autobiography a while back. She talks about nursing, naturally, but never claims to still be an RMN.
That's why her doctorate is honorary. She has made enormous contributions to mental health as an advocate with a public voice. I very much admire her for this. But unless she revalidated, she wouldn't be allowed to work as a mental health nurse in England and Wales. And let's face it, she probably wouldn't want to.