Time Warp Wives

[C-dot]

Yes! One and all, PM me for the torrents, I'm happy to oblige!

 

[Lauren]

Still appalls me that the documentary makers took such lovely people as Jo, Debbie and Diane, who I see most weekends here in the WW2 scene in the UK and bullied them, harangued them and basically tried to make what is a lovely way of life into something heinous.

I totally agree. I wasn't even aware of the program, but met a few of them this week, and they were absolutely lovely. It's so sad how they they got hurt just to boost ratings

 

[Howard Hughes]

FORESIGHT

Pardon yet another bifurcated interloper, but what do you think of the implication that a vintage lifestyle is something essentially female?

Would focusing on the couples as couples, who are into something together, conflict with the message the media are building? And what is that message, and what's shaping that message?

And I mean beyond the intent to be eye-grabbing and freaky. What assumptions are the TV folk working under that they don't know about?

HELLO FLETCH/ALL.

To be fair, the producer did want to make this programme as a "couples thing", but one of the chaps had the foresight to not get involved too heavily, only enough to show that his partner (not wife, not yet anyway), was not some freak loner.
I went into detail last year on this forum to defend the people prtrayed on the programme, please see the other threads if still available, and will not waste my time in doing so again.
I can only hope that this programme will only serve to warn others of the "dangers" of allowing the media into their lives.
Hope you all have a good day.
Toodleoo
HH.
PS. I have known Joanne's husband for approx 4 years and have seen him wear a Trilby once.
Don't get sucked in !

 

[C-dot]

PS. I have known Joanne's husband for approx 4 years and have seen him wear a Trilby once.

Ooh really? Thats lucky, I thought he was a cutie!

 

[Gigi]

Looking for a program about 50's housewives...

Okay, I know somebody here should be able to help me. There was a British program about modern women who live like 1950s housewives that aired awhile ago. It sort of portrayed the women in a bit of a negative light. Anyway, does anyone remember the name of this program? I really just want to view a kitchen that one of the women had and I'm really desperate!!

 

[PS]

I believe you are talking about Timewarp Wives.
You can watch it if you are in the UK, but I've been unsuccessful finding it for viewing in the US. You can Google search it and find many articles and photos.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=43091

Welcome to the FL.

http://sandysfancypants.blogspot.com

 

[Emer]

I love that show! I've only been able to find clips online, being in the US. I'm hoping maybe they'll put it on YouTube or something eventually.

 

[C-dot]

II think she knows that you don't have to be rich and famous to enjoy life.

The debate is not about being middle class, it's a feminist debate. Before feminism took off in the mid-60's, women had no choice but to be housewives, just as the ladies in Time Warp Wives are.
Nowadays, women have the choice to be a working woman - they aren't forced into the aforementioned role. However if one chooses to be a housewife, it's seen as setting the cause backward. Whether it is or not is open to argument, and thus, you have your "flustered" people.

 

[Helysoune]

What started out to as a movement to give women the choice and opportunity to have a career has evolved into a situation that's the complete opposite from what used to be. A great many women these days have no choice but to work due to the family's finances, even if they'd prefer to be housewives and stay-at-home moms. Not only that, choosing to stay at home is highly frowned upon, as we've all seen. Homemakers are seen as dull, dimwitted, oppressed and enslaved to their brutish husbands and bratty children. People become positively flabbergasted and call it unnatural if they hear of a women voluntarily giving up the rat race to raise her children herself, rather than dutifully turning them over to The System to be raised at six weeks old.

 

[C-dot]

What started out to as a movement to give women the choice and opportunity to have a career has evolved into a situation that's the complete opposite from what used to be. A great many women these days have no choice but to work due to the family's finances, even if they'd prefer to be housewives and stay-at-home moms. Not only that, choosing to stay at home is highly frowned upon, as we've all seen. Homemakers are seen as dull, dimwitted, oppressed and enslaved to their brutish husbands and bratty children. People become positively flabbergasted and call it unnatural if they hear of a women voluntarily giving up the rat race to raise her children herself, rather than dutifully turning them over to The System to be raised at six weeks old.

Great points - It seems like people will hear of a homemaker, working woman, or stay-at-home-dad, and apply the appropriate stereotype immediately. Thats what clouded judgment of our Time Warp Wives the first time around.
Personally, if when I have a baby I am able financially to stay at home, I will - I'm just glad I have the choice.

 

[ThesFlishThngs]

Sometimes people who advocate choice really would prefer everyone make the same choice.
While I'm hardly a Suzy Homemaker, I do love my home, have made my studios here, and am often happiest here. From the beginning, the Mr. and I have made the kind of choices that enable us to have a relatively simple, stressfree life, which included me being home with our daughter throughout her childhood. It's not that I didn't 'work', but I worked at the kind of things that allowed me to be flexible and shift things around her schedule.
There are some who would accuse me of 'holding down' modern women, by not asserting myself in the business world, which is a sad thing.
Freedom means freedom, and choice means choice.

 

[reetpleat]

The debate is not about being middle class, it's a feminist debate. Before feminism took off in the mid-60's, women had no choice but to be housewives, just as the ladies in Time Warp Wives are.
Nowadays, women have the choice to be a working woman - they aren't forced into the aforementioned role. However if one chooses to be a housewife, it's seen as setting the cause backward. Whether it is or not is open to argument, and thus, you have your "flustered" people.

True to a point, but probably more accurate is the fact that back then, you could more easily afford to have a one income household. True, it is partly based on consumer choice. If we lived as simply and frugally today, we probably still could.

Me, I have no problem with women wanting to stay at home and let their husbands take care of business. I just think it is a bit much that some of them think times are so terrible now. I am sure some on the boards agree. But personally, I think times are fine and they had their own problems and issues back then. As is oft pointed out, every generation thinks times and the next generation is going to hell in a hand basket.

I think anyone that would let that attitude keep them from having children is giving into the fear that is pervasive in the media. But maybe the media misrepresented her on that idea too.

 

[reetpleat]

The way I see it: It would, because people would be suspicious of the men. My mum and her good friend watched the program, and when Joanne's hubby was introduced, she said: "I guess we know why he likes having a vintage wife!"

The message seems to be that ladies should be doing everything their husband is doing, and more. Really though, if Time Warp Women are upholding certain duties, are Time Warp Men not? If the woman is not doing everything - doesn't that mean the husband must be doing his share?

I believe the producers are working under the assumption we suspect they are: That the vintage wife is subservient to her vintage husband, and she likes it that way!

Interesting point. There is also an assumption that the lifestyle, if it ws indeed as portrayed, somehow favors the man. I am not sure very modern man would be thrilled by the prospect of having to work extra hard or long hours or do without certain conveniences so his wife can stay home.

the old style of relationship does not necessarily favor men. although that is certainly how it was and is portrayed by a lot of feminist though. It can oppress both, but also can have its benefits for both.

 

[Fletch]

HELLO FLETCH/ALL.

To be fair, the producer did want to make this programme as a "couples thing", but one of the chaps had the foresight to not get involved too heavily, only enough to show that his partner (not wife, not yet anyway), was not some freak loner.
I went into detail last year on this forum to defend the people prtrayed on the programme, please see the other threads if still available, and will not waste my time in doing so again.
I can only hope that this programme will only serve to warn others of the "dangers" of allowing the media into their lives.
Hope you all have a good day.
Toodleoo
HH.
PS. I have known Joanne's husband for approx 4 years and have seen him wear a Trilby once.
Don't get sucked in !

Thanks for chiming in Howard. I'll search on your posts on the topic. But over all, I just don't get your point. I'll chalk it up to one of those jazz moments...

 

[C-dot]

True to a point, but probably more accurate is the fact that back then, you could more easily afford to have a one income household. True, it is partly based on consumer choice. If we lived as simply and frugally today, we probably still could.

I agree - not only are basic living expenses astronomical compared to the Golden Era, consumer culture is more pervasive. You've always gotta have "more, more, more!" I know plenty of one-income households, complete with children - and some of the income sources may surprise you!

That was just the argument in a nutshell. There are many more details and facets to be considered.

 

[Viola]

To be fair plenty of Golden Era women worked. Both my grandmothers worked through my parents' childhoods. All of my great-grandmothers worked, at least intermittantly. They were not exotic, either, not brazen doing truly bold things; nothing it wasn't perfectly normal for women to do.

Part of the rosy view of the The Past is the rosy view of the middleclass.

 

[LizzieMaine]

To be fair plenty of Golden Era women worked. Both my grandmothers worked through my parents' childhoods. All of my great-grandmothers worked, at least intermittantly. They were not exotic, either, not brazen doing truly bold things; nothing it wasn't perfectly normal for women to do.

Part of the rosy view of the The Past is the rosy view of the middleclass.

Exactly. Nearly forty percent of the workforce was female in 1940.

 

[C-dot]

Exactly. Nearly forty percent of the workforce was female in 1940.

I have to wonder how many of them were single, or childless. In the British Commonwealth, many of them were taking over factory and other "male" jobs because of the war. But take for example The Best of Everything- What message does that film portray? "Ladies, don't go into the working world - you aren't man enough to handle it. Get married instead."


Edit: I don't want this thread to go in the wrong direction, but people on here have such interesting views!

 

[Viola]

I have to wonder how many of them were single, or childless.

Not as many as would have been preferred. It wasn't considered as nice for married women to have to. But they did. The image of it being something you did only until you got married was largely that; an image.

At least at some income levels, and from what I can tell where that point was exactly varied by culture. I say that only because of my mother and most especially my grandmother sorting out what was in their view a more Irish or Italian or Jewish or black thing to be doing. (these were all at least 2nd generation Americans as far as I can tell) My grandmother was very aware married Irish women did not work. I have no idea how relevant that was outside this one city we're from though.