The Good Wife
Volleyball superstar Gabrielle Reece caused quite a stir on Friday when she appeared on the “Today” show to hawk her new book and discuss the dynamics of her successful marriage. From HuffPo:
In appearances on the “Today” show and “Rock Center With Brian Williams” Friday, Reece explained that she and Hamilton considered divorcing after four years of marriage. But their relationship improved when they learned how to complement each other by adopting more traditional gender roles.
“I think the idea of living with a partner is ‘How can I make their life better?'” Reece told “Today’s” Natalie Morales. “So if I’m the woman and he’s the man, then yes, that’s the dynamic. I’m willing and I choose to serve my family and my husband because it creates a dynamic where he is then in fact acting more like a man and masculine and treating me the way I want to be treated.”
Reece recently wrote a memoir called “My Foot Is Too Big For The Glass Slipper,” in which she claims, “to truly be feminine means being soft, receptive, and –- look out, here it comes –- submissive.”
But on the “Today” show, she clarified that she doesn’t think being “submissive” is a sign of weakness.
“I think because women have the ability to set the tone, that the ultimate strength and showing real power, I believe, is creating that environment,” she said. “I think it’s a sign of strength.’’
Gabby’s comments caused such an uproar that she even came back on “Today” to clarify, making sure to note that serving goes both ways, for her hubby, too.
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After actually watching the clips and not just a few quotes ripped from the interview, I really felt her true point was totally missed, which is a shame. She actually calls for very high standards for self, like asking how can she make her husband’s life better. Note that she says she “chooses” to serve her family. With all her freedom, strength and power, she decides to put them first, which in turn leads to her being treated the way she wants.
Sounds pretty Christ-like to me, which in this selfish, cold world is quite strange indeed.
As for the traditional gender roles part. that got me thinking on how that looks like today. In my own marriage, K will grocery shop without a second thought (I on the other hand, give it lots of thought as he tends to come back with items not on the list). I cook almost everything, but a few years ago, that reversed. He does the laundry. I make sure the bills are paid. We’ve both sat around at the mechanic’s shop while the car is serviced.
After reading about Gabby’s comments, I asked K, “Do I serve you?” He looked up from his PC monitor and glanced at me quizzically. “Why do you ask me these things?”. He then went back to typing without further comment.
I rolled my eyes and then looked directly in front of me. My eyes stopped at the silver cross hanging above a sepia-toned picture of us kissing on the day we married. The cross above us, seemingly pointing down at our embrace.
I don’t know if we fit the traditional gender role mold, but as Christ as our guide, I think we’re good.