Hallmark Mahogany, a line targeted toward blacks, made greeting cards this Father’s Day for black single mothers. Bossip points us to the controversy, which pits the recognition of mamas who do both the mommy and the daddy job against the assumption that its perpetuating a stereotype. Personally, I don’t find the card pictured, which reads “For all the times you’ve been there for others, you deserve a day just for you,” the least bit offensive. Keep reading »
A few weeks ago, we received the worst press release ever. Fleshlight, the purveyor of fine synthetic vagina-like products for men, sent us a PR pitch about getting dad “the best gift a father could ask for.” We think they were kidding. But we still needed to scrub our brains with bleach, then spray them with Lysol and Swiffer their tiny crevices.
Gather ’round, children, and let’s recap which gifts are totally inappropriate (or just plain weird) to give dad this Father’s Day. Keep reading »
A few weeks ago, on a first date, a guy told me about how watching his mother — a strong, intelligent woman who held the family together — made him into a feminist. Then he asked me what it was that made me start caring about women’s equality. I’m sure he expected that I was going to tell him a traditional “how I became a feminist” story: Dad hauled me to my first pro-choice march kicking and screaming, or my parents were radical separatist lesbians, or Mom was a famous liberal journalist and progressive ideals were in their blood.
Not. At. All.
My blood is the thick, viscous fluid of dirty martinis. My parents contributed to me becoming a feminist, sure. But it was only because as I was a young sprout blossoming into a beautiful flower, they were … kind of sexist. Keep reading »
This Sunday, fathers and daughters everywhere will be spending quality time together talking about important life issues, reminiscing about stories from childhood, and waxing poetic about the future. While we highly encourage dad/daughter bonding, we’ve compiled this handy list of awkward conversations you may want to avoid if you plan on having a pleasant holiday with dad. After the jump, some unapproved conversation topics this Father’s Day. Keep reading »
“I was always daddy’s little girl. We did everything together. He was my hero. My father was always there with a hug for me; when I was little, he let me climb all over him like he was a jungle gym.
And then my body changed. I developed early; I had boobs by 11. And all of a sudden, my Dad stopped hugging me or touching me. He went overnight from being my best friend to being remote and critical.”
I read that in a student’s journal earlier this semester (quoted with permission). I’ve read and heard similar things countless times over the course of nearly 20 years teaching gender studies and doing youth ministry. Ask any family therapist who works with teen girls, and they’ll report the same thing I’ve heard: story after story of fathers withdrawing physical affection as soon as their daughters hit puberty. Keep reading »
“I grew up without a father around. I have certain memories of him taking me to my first jazz concert and giving me my first basketball as a Christmas present. But he left when I was two years old. And even though my sister and I were lucky enough to be raised by a wonderful mother and caring grandparents, I always felt his absence and wondered what it would have been like if he had been a greater presence in my life. I still do. It is perhaps for this reason that fatherhood is so important to me, and why I’ve tried so hard to be there for my own children.”
—Barack Obama shares his thoughts on being a dad in an essay in the latest issue of People, just in time for Father’s Day. Man, this is one adorable family. Keep reading »
This coming Sunday is Father’s Day. I’ll be honest; Father’s Day has been varying degrees of difficult for me over the last 10 years. In my adulthood, my dad and I (that’s us on the left — bowl cut circle 1984!) have had a tough, up-and-down relationship for a variety of reasons (that I won’t get into because I have a therapist I pay to listen to such things!). In the last eight months, however, we’ve managed to develop the most genuine, sincere, and respectful relationship we’ve had in years. How? I think there are two big reasons: 1) we’ve forgiven each other for things that happened in the past and 2) we haven’t tried to recreate the relationship we had before, instead focusing on getting to know each other as people now. It’s far from perfect and I still miss the relationship we used to have, but it has been a relief to let go of the past and to focus on the future.
With that in mind, in honor of Father’s Day, I decided to share the top five pieces of advice my dad has given me over the years. (He has actually given me a lot more than five, but much of it would probably rub the general population the wrong way — he is a Communist-leaning lefty with a taste for psychedelics, after all.) Share your favorite bit of fatherly advice in the comments. Keep reading »
Saturday June 18 will be a creepy evening in the Dallas/Fort Worth area: it’s Daddy-Daughter Date Night at Chick-Fil-A. Dads and daughters can RSVP for tables at participating restaurants on DaddyDaughterDate.com, a site so festooned with red hearts, filigree and curlicue script that it wouldn’t look out of place on Valentine’s Day. Even though June 18 is the day before Father’s Day.
Anyone else got a case of the icks yet? Keep reading »
Ever since I was a little girl, my dad has been a constant, loving resource with lots of study tips, helpful hints, and words of advice. Countless conversations after fights with my siblings and late-night study sessions before final exams taught me the most important lesson: parents really are your best friends in the world. The “dad-isms” and clichés that I once tried to ignore and/or make fun of are now the phrases I use on a daily basis to help make decisions or dole out advice to my friends. So here are the words I live by, thanks to my dad. Keep reading »
Father’s Day is, surprise! tomorrow, but with a busy week at work, finding the time to shop around for the perfect gift isn’t easy. Clearly — you have less than 24 hours to come up with something interesting and how many times can you give Dad a collared shirt and tie? After the jump, find five creative things you can make for your dad this year instead of buying another item for his closet. Plus, we’re sharing some fool-proof recipes he’ll absolutely love. Keep reading »
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