Why Do TV Commercials, Shows, and Movies Treat Men Like They are ALL Idiots? It's Time to Start Respecting Them Again.

How many times have you watched a TV show, a commercial, or a movie, and noticed how the man is invariably clueless, helpless, the "bad" guy, the idiot, or the loser? How many times have you seen men described this way in books or magazines?

It's rare to see the male in the family be the "wise" one anymore-he's usually portrayed as a buffoon of some sort, whom the rest of the family just tolerates...usually good-naturedly, but frequently, he's treated with scorn. The wife or girlfriend is the one who calls the shots, or in a lot of situations, the kids do. Is this how it really is? I don't think so.

Now I know that in the "old days", men were always the smart ones, the ones who always knew the answers, and everyone followed their lead. I'm not saying that was right, either. But who decided that men would no longer have any say at all in the decisions, and would always be the "dumb" one?

I can watch a show, or read a book, and know instantly who is going to be the one to solve the problem or save the day. If there is a married couple, it's the wife or child. If it's the workplace, it most likely will be the woman who is in charge, and/or the one who is treated badly, then saves the day in one way or another.

As a wife of a very wonderful man and the daughter of another, as well as the mother to two grown sons, and having a son-in-law I adore, I take exception to the way men are treated these days in the public arena. I cringe when I see men portrayed as idiots, because in my world, they are far from that.

In real life, all men aren't morons or jerks, so WHY are the media and entertainment fields casting them like that so often? Are they that afraid to have a man BE a man? To make smart decisions, and hey, maybe even save the day once in awhile? I can't imagine why any woman would want a doormat for a husband or boyfriend--one that she has total control over--one that never stands up for anything or anyone because he's afraid of his wife or girlfriend. So why does the media portray so many men in this light?

It seems to me that they are afraid that women will take offense if they aren't portrayed in a positive way, but they don't worry at all if the men aren't. What is this all about? How is this fair?

Or, for that matter--who honestly believes that CHILDREN should be in charge of everyone around them? Who decided that kids know more than their fathers(or mothers), and should be depended on to solve every crisis? That one really bothers me.

In the real world, most husbands and wives sit down and solve problems together. Co-workers, of both sexes, usually work together and come up with ideas and solutions to sticky situations. Obviously, not in all cases--but again, IN THE REAL WORLD, it happens a lot more often than the fantasy world of TV, movies, and books lead you to believe.

What kind of example is this setting for future generations? Do we want our daughters thinking that it is not only acceptable, but it's also encouraged, to treat their other half like they are lesser than they are? I can see a whole lot of problems with this scenario.

So, in defense of the male members of my family, and all the other terrific men out there, I say it's time to stand up and say:

ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!!!!!