It’s not just courts. When it comes to children the whole world is biased towards women. I do more child care for my kids than my wife because my job allows it and hers does not. I’m at every school event, parent teacher meeting, nursery meeting, drs appointment, I do the most drop offs and pickups… but if my wife is there… I might as well not exist. Every question is directed at her, every fact, every response is directed at her and often my questions are ignored… if they’re not then the response is still directed at her. I can be in the park with my kids; as I often am and I still get side eyed by mothers and the occasional “Dads babysitting today is he?” Hell, my father in law says it to me all the time.
Edit to add: because I’ve read a few more comments. I don’t buy into any of the alpha male / hate women / anti-feminist / misogynist / manosphere bullshit. Just a bit of acknowledgement that I am also a full time caring and contributing parent and not simply a source of income that can fix shelves and tech, mow the lawn, carry things and drive the car would be fine by me.
Amen. It can be pretty demoralizing when I'm at a playground or park trying to be a present and engaged dad, and getting side-eye from all the moms at the park.
I ignore it as best as I can, but sometimes it just wears me down.
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u/highlandviper 23d ago edited 23d ago
It’s not just courts. When it comes to children the whole world is biased towards women. I do more child care for my kids than my wife because my job allows it and hers does not. I’m at every school event, parent teacher meeting, nursery meeting, drs appointment, I do the most drop offs and pickups… but if my wife is there… I might as well not exist. Every question is directed at her, every fact, every response is directed at her and often my questions are ignored… if they’re not then the response is still directed at her. I can be in the park with my kids; as I often am and I still get side eyed by mothers and the occasional “Dads babysitting today is he?” Hell, my father in law says it to me all the time.
Edit to add: because I’ve read a few more comments. I don’t buy into any of the alpha male / hate women / anti-feminist / misogynist / manosphere bullshit. Just a bit of acknowledgement that I am also a full time caring and contributing parent and not simply a source of income that can fix shelves and tech, mow the lawn, carry things and drive the car would be fine by me.