Female and working — but maybe not so “privileged”
November 19, 2008 By: almostgotit Category: Uncategorized, feminism, parenting, marketing, sexism, advertising, career balance, career, working mothers, First Republic Bank
An advertisement for a bank specializing in wealth management and private banking, appearing in last Sunday’s New York Times (11/16/08)
“First Republic maintains our relationship over the phone and over the Internet — it’s a beautiful thing.”
LEE BRATHWAITE, TELECOM EXECUTIVE
LAURA BRATHWAITE, ATTORNEY AT LAW, WIFE AND MOTHER
Successful, working couple, and hey –they’re even black.
Thank you, I get it: First Republic Bank is More PC-Than-Thou.
But am I the only one who notices something missing here?
November 19th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I guess Lee isn’t a husband and father; he’s an executive!
November 20th, 2008 at 5:23 am
Lee merely provided the sperm. Laura carried the child(ren) within her womb and gave suckle while practicing the law.
November 20th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Well, it appears that the role of the sexes is being defined. The executive male is the leader, thus providing the foundation of the picture offering support to his spouse who is thus “leaning” on him. In addition, she is a woman with several roles rather than a female attorney, showing her diversity (other than race) and providing a window into their family life by showing she has children, etc.
November 20th, 2008 at 9:26 am
I’m enjoying the fact that three men have jumped in first here, when to be honest I expected the women. It makes perfect sense though. If mothers are still carrying far too much of the load, (and being told they still must lean on the leadership of men — great observation, Jason!) the notion that it’s okay to marginalize (dad as mere sperm donor) and type-cast fathers (defining them merely by what they do for a living) should be a concern, also.
November 20th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Maybe Lee is Laura’s unmarried “confirmed bachelor” brother-in-law and they just like to get together to swap banking stories …
November 20th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Brilliant, Sir Dennis.
Or maybe the kids are from Laura’s first marriage, and Lee just has to accept that they’ll never be his even if he *IS* having to foot the entire bill for Jennifer’s wedding, a subject he has been trying to bring up in marriage counselling but can’t because Laura is so damn *CONTROLLING*…
November 20th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
Or maybe she won’t let him call himself father and big business guy. Maybe she just has some posey affectation so we will all go “ahhh” isn’t life rough whereas he isn’t allowed to do that. Maybe the truth is they don’t actually have any children and he doesn’t know she put mother there.
November 20th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
“Adbiguity” : I’d like to know in what way the bank is maintaining Lee and Laura’s relationship. While I realize that many couples divorce over financial issues, the above claim still seems a bit boastful on the bank’s part.
November 20th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Or actually maybe the advertiser has it right — most men can only do one thing well at a time, whereas women are AWESOME at multi-tasking. I mean come on now: attorney-at-law, mother and wife. That’s a LOT of work and responsibility! Poor guy can only serve as a telecom exec.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Thanks for commenting and welcome, Katrina! Love your KICKING new blog, too! (I made a yolk!!)