Ugh.

[novapsyche]

There's a afternoon talk show that my officemate listens to. It bills itself as "the baddest adult talk show on the radio." Today the host (a male) is interviewing callers about female "golddiggers."

As you can imagine, I have a lot of problems with just the topic, but the host is going on, after bashing the general behavior of these women (because, you know, there aren't any men who live off their girlfriends) saying that there must be a problem when the woman decides to leave. From the man's perspective, the woman is bought and paid for, so how can she just decide to leave? Note that he isn't asking this of the men who are calling in, just the women who admit to being golddiggers. "There is a real danger when the woman decides to just leave," he says. My question is: why isn't he challenging this mindset of said men? (I'm afraid it's because it's a view he espouses.)

(Okay, so during the second hour of his show, he will focus on the men who do this type of thing. But ohhh! he was really getting on my last feminist nerve with this stereotypical crap.)

Comments

[xterminal.livejournal.com]

"There is a real danger when the woman decides to just leave," he says.

This is where my inability to think like a typical male hamstrings me, I guess.

I don't get it. If I found myself attached to a "golddigger", in the stereotypical way this guy seems to mean it, and she left, I imagine I'd throw a party. What's the danger? That I'll be able to hang onto more of my paycheck, or spend it as I see fit, because I don't have to spend it on her? Oh, horrors!

(Not that that would ever happen, with me usually half a step away from filing chapter 7, but hey. Dumber things have happened.)

[simianpower.livejournal.com]

Umm, so are you saying that there aren't any women who use their sexuality to get money and/or favors out of men? Hello, Anna Nicole Smith! Sex for favors is the oldest game in existence.

What I don't get is what the "problem" is when the woman leaves. If the sex-for-favors game gets old, then stop. There's no contract, so either party can break off at any time. I'm not sure if that's the point, or if I missed something.

[dionysus1999.livejournal.com]

Ah, but you don't understand "male priviledge", which says that woman "owes" you something. What, I don't know, since you decided to tolerate the moocher in the first place.

I think in all the stereotypes what's often missed is the whole idea of choice and responsibility. If you take in a stray pet, aren't they just freeloaders who milk you for care by just looking cute?

So, by extension, a golddigger is a person who is treated more like a pet. Their main function is companionship, for which they expect room and board.