The fabulous Susi Weaser directed my attention to the new social networking site, ListenToYourWife.com. LTYW is supposed to provide married, or soon to be married, women with a place to "be heard", or rather, to rant. I signed up out of curiosity (okay fine, for a laugh) and seriously, I can't get over half of the things I've seen and read on LTYW. Firstly, you're greeted by a cute little animation with a white guy sitting on the couch, channel surfing, and his blonde wifey comes over and angrily stands in front of the TV with the flashing message "BE HEARD!"
However, what you'll find here underneath the violet and pink design, and swirly typography, are some very awkward depictions of what marriage is really like, and some incredibly biased "findings" about men based on "extensive research".
ListenToYourWife.com is basically a blogging/social networking site,where women can write about how tragic it is to be married, but what I found interesting is that a surprising amount of articles are written by a man - and just one man in particular: Charles J. Orlando. There are articles by other women like, "Career vs Family" and "Honeymoons on a budget!" but the most opinionated articles on marriage on a website for women, come form Orlando...
While he doesn't have any qualifications in the industries and subjects he claims to know so much about], he certainly throws around statistics like no other. For example, if your husband smooshed cake on you face when you got married, chances are you'll end up divorced:
"...one question I asked my interviewees was a bit of a tell-tale: 'What happened when you cut your cake at your reception?' The response was fascinating and, quite frankly, one that I expected. Out of the 400+ married women—now divorced—that I spoke with, a resounding 78% said that they received a smash in the face from their bridegroom."
Also, ladies, according to Orlando, being married is the best thing you could ever do for yourself and your children. Apparently if you get divorced, the chances of your daughter being sexually assaulted goes up, as well as your new boyfriend killing your kids to "get closer to you".
"Children living in stepfamilies or with single parents are at higher risk of physical or sexual assault than children living with two biological or adoptive parents (University of New Hampshire, Crimes Against Children Research Center)."
"Girls whose parents divorce are at significantly higher risk of sexual assault, whether they live with their mother or their father (studies by Ms. Robin Wilson, family law professor at Washington and Lee University)."
And what does Mr.Orlando think of this research? "There is no argument that these boyfriends are at fault. In the plainest terms, they are hurting and killing innocent children because they want the mother. However, where the hell are the natural fathers??!"
I expected to find light and fluffy commentary on marriage on this website. I didn't think I'd end up reading unscientific diatribes about how I should be thanking my lucky stars my step dad hasn't killed me yet. Do I recommend joining up to ListenToYourWife.com? No, to say the very least.
Cate Sevilla is the Editor of Dollymix. Bring on the criticism.