Today I received a phone call from one of those annoying telemarketers. When I said hello, the first thing the man on the other end asked me was… “Can I speak to the man of the house?” I think this one of the worst things someone can ask – especially when they hear a woman’s voice. If it’s not for a marketing survey (or something else) directly targeted to men, there’s no reason why a telemarketer should be asking for “the man of the house”, especially nowadays.

You never know who you’re calling and what the circumstances are. For example, imagine a single mom gets a phone call asking for “the man of the house”. She may be offended, because she’s the leader of the household. The fact that someone asks for “the man” suggests thats a woman isn’t capable of making decisions. I find this to be disrespectful and wrong. I strongly believe that women are capable of doing things men can do, and therefore they should have the same privileges and respect.

I understand that asking for “the man of the house” may have been relevant years ago, but it isn’t anymore. Women work and earn their own living. They are educated, hold respectable jobs, and often are the “breadwinners” of the family. Most women manage their money and have their own responsibilities, so there’s no reason to ask for the “man of the house” if a woman – who is just as capable – answered the phone.

Having this question asked may seem like a simple mistake, but it really is an example of how women are treated as inferior. It’s sad that people still think like this. Anyway, back to my story. I told the telemarketer that he called a cell phone number, and then I hung up. I wonder if I I’d told him that there was no “man of the house”, if he would have ended the call. Hmmm… maybe next time ill try that.

-Erica