Tuesday evening roundup: home, sick edition

Let's talk about singlism, stigma, and cats. I blogged a little about this last week, but here's more: I know Citibank and Honda are patting themselves on the back for appealing to independent women, but I take exception to the us vs. them (and have-a-life vs. have-a-relationship) constructs that they're promoting with these ads. Why is taking care of your leap list and being in a relationship mutually exclusive? The Boston Magazine article touches on that construct as well. It also discusses the whole single-woman-with-cat myth (most cat owners are families, but single people are still anxious about it). It's pretty comprehensive in its coverage of a wide array of 'singlist' frustrations (for eg., why is my colleague's kid's soccer game perceived to be more important than my theater ticket?) It's never come down to that at my workplace, but the idea of the idea is annoying. Bottom line: I don't appreciate the bundling of traits into false dichotomies; the misconception that you have to be either single, adventurous, and connected to society or partnered with your head up your own ass is just as detrimental as the misconception that you can be either married, fulfilled, and happy or single, alone, and pathetic.

Confession: I spotted this article on overparenting as I read the one discussed above, but I haven't read it.

I'm certainly not delighted, nor smug, about Paula Deen's predicament, but I don't understand why she she's shocked by the lack of empathy, given her influence and her choice to deceive her audience for years.