Teakwood Builders of Saratoga Springs, NY has sparked controversy with some feminists with it’s billboard which states “Your wife wants me” in front a new kitchen. Feminists have lined up to protest the sign on the side of the road near the sign, with one feminist sign saying “I prefer an office”.
The company says its just good fun, and in good humor. They also make the point that women are usually the one’s who push for the purchase of new kitchens like this.
But common sense never stops feminists. Sure are there some men who would get excited over a new kitchen – yes, but we all know if most men were given the choice between having a new “man cave” or a new kitchen – which one would they choose?
From a personal perspective, my wife was very upset when the funding fell through for us to have our very old kitchen remodeled. It will be some time before we can get the funds to do this. And my wife is not naturally the “domestic” type of house wife – she is has a bachelor degree and was highly successful in her field before becoming disabled a few years ago. Having nice kitchens are very important to most women, whether they have a career or not.
What is ironic is – these feminists are actually giving this company more business by drawing attention to it’s sign.
If you live near the Saratoga Springs NY area, and need a new kitchen, I highly recommend you go to their site and contact them – http://www.teakwoodbuilders.com/contact-us
Is it Sexist or Biblical?
Is it sexist to imply the kitchen is the woman’s domain? The answer is yes and no.
Most definitions of sexism include two sides. According to the Cambridge online dictionary these are two common definitions for sexist:
“referring to women’s bodies, behavior, or feelings in a negative way:”
“a person who believes that particular jobs and activities are suitable only for women and others are suitable only for men:”
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/american-english/sexist
The Bible is definitely against speaking negatively about a woman’s body, or the distinctive way in which God has made women different from men.
But the Bible, and those who follow the Bible’s teachings and commands regarding gender, would be considered “sexist” by the second definition of sexism in that God’s Word does distinguish roles for men and women, in both the home and society at large.
The Bible says this about why God design woman and what her role was to be:
Woman was made for man, not man for woman:
“Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.” – I Corinthians 11:9(KJV)
Woman was made as a helper for man:
“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” – Genesis 2:18(KJV)
Woman was meant to be the caretaker and manager of the affairs of the home:
The primary way a woman helps her husband is by caring for and managing his children and his home while he is out providing for the family and pursuing his life’s work:
“Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her …She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.” – Proverbs 31:10-11 & 27(KJV)
“…teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:4-6(KJV)
“I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.” – I Timothy 5:14(KJV)
These are only a few passages from the Scripture, but if we examine the Scriptures as a whole we can see all throughout the Bible, women being the ones who took care of the affairs of the home, and the caring for the children.
This does not mean women are unintelligent, or that women are not capable of doing most of the jobs men do. The point is a woman was specially designed to be man’s helpmeet, and one of the largest ways she helps man is in making sure is home is organized, and a tight running ship.
Does this mean a woman’s needs to be home at all times? No. Can women help with feeding the poor or working with special events in their churches or communities? Of course they can. Christian women blog, they right books, they hold seminars at their churches to help other women. Intelligent Christian women can find many ways to channel and use their talents for God, all while keeping their central focus on their duties to their home.
So is it sexist to target kitchen ads to women?
So this brings us back full circle to the question we began with. Is it sexist(in the negative sense of the word) to target kitchen ads to women or is it Biblical? I believe based on the witness of Scripture that is in fact Biblical to do so. We need more moms in the kitchen making homemade meals for their husbands and children instead of mom bringing home pizza and McDonald’s after work each night, or throwing in microwave dinners every night.
But can’t Dad help too?
Certainly men can help cook sometimes – As a husband and father, I enjoy cooking for my family. When I do it, is usually on the weekends as I work a lot of hours during the week. But I feel that God wants a model to be shown to be my children that my wife is my helpmeet and not the other way around.
But it’s just domestic work, does God really care about such silly things as who spends the majority of their time in the home, verses outside the home?
Yes God cares. It is symbolic. Read Ephesians chapter 5. God has created marriage between a man and a woman to be a symbol of the relationship between God and man. In this relationship, the husband is a symbol of God, and the wife is a symbol of mankind. Each time a wife does the dishes, does the laundry or cooks in that brand new kitchen – she plays out that all important symbolism. That food she is cooking is not only for her husband and her children, it is also for God himself.
So Teakwood Builders of Saratoga Springs, I pray that you won’t back down and you keep those ads up. I realize you may not be doing it for religious reasons, but God can use many things for his glory and he can use this to start discussions about women and the home. God wants more men and women to honor a woman’s primary role in the care and management of the home.
Biblical Gender Roles 
The #1 help that “Eves” provide for their “Adams” is in making more “Adams” (and “Eves”). A house, garden, etc. could as well be taken care of by “Steves.” “Man Fridays.”
Other than matters of sex and reproduction, and attendant child raising, men are as good or better than women.
If only men had seized the Bounty, and had landed on Pitcairn, they would have done just fine. Probably less fighting and murdering without women to fight over, though sailors tended toward being scum of the earth.
But within a few decades Pitcairn would have been uninhabited – which might please the Gaia-worshipers and Prince Philip, who wants to be reincarnated as a deadly, incurable virus that would eradicate mankind.
Without women, men are complete organisms. Men’s bodies are completely functional without women.
Without men, women are incomplete. The major organ systems that differentiate women from men do not function without men.
The purpose of the ovaries, uterus, vagina and associated organs is not to produce an egg and an endometrium to die and be sloughed out every month. Menstruation is a malfunction. It signifies a failure of the reproductive system each time it happens.
Without men, women’s breasts are purposeless. They produce no milk and just hang there, doing nothing but impeding the woman in vigorous activity and getting in her way in many activities.
When organs do not operate, they give more problems than those that are operated. Without pregnancy and childbirth ovaries, uteruses, breasts and vagina have more cancers, more disorders than these organs that are used, with the greatest benefit accruing the earlier the first pregnancy and the more often pregnancy and childbirth occur.
The male reproductive system takes care of itself despite no women available. It’s rather pointless, as without women available it doesn’t accomplish its intended purpose, but nevertheless it operates.