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 Linda Thomas
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Linda is the morning news anchor and features reporter for KIRO Radio. This is her local news blog, with an emphasis on social media, technology, Northwest companies, education, parenting, and anything else that grabs her attention.

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Mad Men and good old boys in 2012

March 22, 2012 @ 6:04 pm (Updated: 6:44 am - 3/23/12 )

One of the most popular TV shows is back this weekend with its cigarettes and sexism. While "Mad Men" returns for season five, the good old boys never left.

"The good old boys have turned being born female into a pre-existing condition," says Seattle City Councilwoman Jean Godden. She writes on her blog the recent debate about women's reproductive health is part of an "anti-woman attack" that is a "sad commentary on life in the 21st century."

Godden reminds us women had to fight for 150 years to win the right to vote, and the right to own property. As recently as 40 years ago, a woman had to have her husband's permission to obtain a credit card.

If "an anti-woman" sentiment is still swirling in 2012, then we haven't come a long way baby from the "Mad Men" days in the 1960s.

The AMC series , staring Jon Hamm as the dashing Don Draper, is set in a New York City advertising agency. The show resumes with a special Sunday night, picking up in 1965, halfway through the tumultuous decade. "Mad Men" uses the culture of that era to feature the issues that still concern us today - cigarette smoking, drinking, sexism, feminism, adultery, homophobia, and racism.

I'm a fan of "Mad Men" but as I watch the way women and men dealt with each other in the workplace then, the behavior doesn't seem as abnormal to me as I wish it was.

MadMen

Joan Harris (Christina Hendricks), Roger Sterling (John Slattery), Lane Pryce (Jared Harris), Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), Don Draper (Jon Hamm), Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse), Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) Photo Courtsey Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC

By LINDA THOMAS

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Why do I call myself The News Chick

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Comments (3)


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  • mnpat wrote...
    "As recently as 40 years ago, a woman had to have her husband's permission to obtain a credit card."
    March 23, 2012 8:51 am
    As is the case of any account today, regardless of sex, or age if the person wanting a credit card is not the responsible party for financial remuneration. Also I would like to point out that voting was a privilege to those that owned property not to men in general. Women do have a case however about the ability to own property 150 years ago, as property was passed on to male children and hard to come by for women. In compensation for a male dominated society years ago, the courts put into effect numerous laws to balance out the so called "Victimization" of women. Over the past 60 years we have seen the transformation of our society and yet the laws that once protected women remain significantly slanted towards the female gender. I know today, women like you continue to look for any means to continue this attitude of victimization and continue the war on men scenario. So let us all be honest and say if you want all the differences to be the same then let’s make all the benefits of hiding behind the skirt go away as well please.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Touche' Mnpat!
    March 23, 2012 11:12 am
    Women have it sooooooooo tough these days. BoooFrigginHooo!
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  • Nickatnyt wrote...
    Too many idiots are allowed to vote.
    March 23, 2012 11:05 am
    This includes men and women. I would have no problem limiting voting rights to property owners regardless of gender or age. So I say that they did have some things right back in the old days including quicker sentences for criminals.
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