Hey, I just noticed that this will be my 500th post! It has been a glorious 2.whatever years so far, friends. I'll probably keep on blogging at an irregular rate, but you'll love it when I do. Anyway, in a move unrelated to any blogiversary, I decided to go look back at the archives for the terrible comic "Pajama Diaries." Back when I lived with roommates in an urban area and we received a daily newspaper that carried the NY Times crossword and two pages of terrible comics, I used to alternately blow a gasket while reading Pluggers and these here Pajama Diaries. The latter because of the gender stereotypes. I've looked back at the past month on the webernets and found a number of horrifying examples!
Some things that are terrible about this:
- The man is an incompetent parent.
- Bitches always be crying, apparently.
- Dudes can't handle emotions, so must escape from their families and drink away the icky taint of femininity.
Apparently this Jill character is my mother.
Ladies hate aging, but love being skinny like teenagers!
Jill is trying to instill in her daughters the inevitably of their gendered household roles. "Forget that book-larnin', little lady, it's time to do some washin'!"
Hey, thanks for the free plug! By the way, you might want take a look at my website and the background of the strip. If you read it on a regular basis, you'll notice that I deal with a lot of feminist topics and relatable subjects for women…but it’s mainly targeted for moms and parents. Don’t know if you fall into that demographic or not.
ReplyDeleteThe first sample you pulled (none with permission I might add) was simply a relatable joke for moms, not a commentary on “femininity.” The second one? Well, yes, she IS a mom. Maybe like yours. The third was taken out of context from a story arc, and it was supposed to be ironic. The fourth was just a simple JOKE. And yes, the girls will someday do their own laundry …not necessarily anyone else’s.
The strip is about a typical modern working mother who is pulled in so many directions, she’s often overwhelmed (albeit I try to convey this with humor). One of the reasons I write the strip is to point out how this is a problematic social issue in our country. Women need more help and support. Maybe we could remember that instead of deconstructing and misconstruing my work.
Thanks, Blonder and Thinner!
Best,
Terri Libenson