The paper sign stood out like the proverbial sore thumb there on a middle rack at the auction house. Once, I’m sure, it was a hoot, but it felt like an anachronism now.
Its calculations showed the worth of a woman way back when – there was no date on the sign but its appearance looked vintage and its notations dated. The calculations were presented in a “hee-hee-it’s-all-a-joke” kind of way, but its undercurrent sentiments were all too obvious.
Cut out the wife’s beer to save on the budget – but keep her life insurance. She rated even lower than the family pooch.
I know the sign was a big fat joke, but it’s hard to laugh at something that directly affects how you are perceived and treated in society – back when the sign was created and even now.
We as women still don’t make as much money as men, are less likely to be promoted or given the choice assignments, are less likely to be given multiple chances to prove ourselves, and are not seen as a match to our male counterparts professionally and personally. And for black women, it’s even worse.
There are stats to back this up, but we women know this from our own experiences.
The sign reminded me of a naked woman nutcracker that I came across at auction once. It, too, was more offensive than funny.
I love a good laugh, and I like people who can make me laugh. But this sign was not funny. In fact, what if it were done from a woman’s perspective. Maybe it would look something like this:
