Trophy Husband
The descriptor, "trophy husband", is a popular spinoff of the term "trophy wife," and seems to be popping up more and more often as more men are staying home.
However, there is a key difference between a trophy wife and a Stay at Home Mom (SAHM) and I think the same difference can (should) be made for men.
Per Wikipedia, trophy wife is a pejorative term used to describe a wife, usually young and attractive, who is regarded as a status symbol for the husband, who is often older and affluent.
Wikipedia doesn't even list Trophy Husband. It redirects back to Trophy Wife. Interesting in itself, don't you think?
Does the Wikipedia description seem to fit the men that are being referred to as Trophy Husbands? I don't think so. I haven't heard of many (if any) trophy husbands that aren't taking care of kids. They are not living a life of luxury. Nor are they showing up at corporate functions as eye candy or a status symbol for their wives.
These men are in the trenches day after day, often making breakfast, lunch and dinner, cleaning the house, checking things off the "honey-do" list, and holding down the homefront while their wives are at work. They are much more aptly described as Stay at Home Dads (SAHD). They deserve the same respect that goes with the SAHM tag.
However, I am hesitant to throw away the "trophy husband" tag. It brings positive connotations to me and seems to make my husband feel better about himself. And yet, "trophy wife" has negative connotations and can be offensive. On the other hand, SAHM is very clearly accepted as a very tough job and deserving of respect, while SAHD seems to have a negative tinge and doesn't garner the same respect as SAHM.
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