Wednesday 2 April 2008

And I wish you weren't this much of a jerk

Driving around town I've recently encountered a very unpleasant phenomenon. First I thought it was just a one off, but I've now seen it five times, on different SUVs (which are bad enough to start with). Everytime I see it I cringe and hope that it'll be the last time.

It's quite a simple thing, but it's incredibly sexist. I'd never imagined I could be so offended by a spare tyre cover, but there you go, you live and you learn. The cover has on it, in brown for some unfathomable reason, the phrase "I wish my wife was this dirty."

Well I wish the person who bought that cover wasn't such a total and utter jerk. Why would anyone think it is ok to announce to the world your dissatisfaction with the sexual practices of your partner? Where is the dignity or the respect for the woman who has consented to be your life partner, possibly the mother of your children, someone you are supposed to be in love with?

Yes, I do realise it is a "joke". I use the speechmarks deliberately. Because it's not really very funny, is it? Would it be ok to have a wheel cover that said "At least it's not as dirty as those bloody Maoris"? Or how about "I'll clean it when the homos clean up their filthy minds"? No it wouldn't be ok, and nor should it.

Maybe I shouldn't give them any ideas.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so glad I'm not the only one who finds this intensely irritating

Psycho Milt said...

A Corrections Officer with kids at the same childcare centre as mine has this spare wheel cover. It led me to wonder:

1. Why exactly would you publicise your inability to satisfy your wife sexually?

2. Does his wife have a spare wheel cover wishing her husband didn't necessitate the faking of orgasms? (Sauce for the goose etc.)

3. Wouldn't it be simpler just to buy one that said "Asshole" and be done with it?

stephen said...

I can't fathom this either. There's someone who regularly parks on Brandon St in Wellington with one of these wheel covers.

Whenever I walk past it, I think "how does his wife feel?" "Is he even married?" "What would it be like to be the wife driving that car?"

Ghastly, moronic, crass. And yeah, sexist.

Anonymous said...

Gah, my comment got chewed up.

So basically:

Have they never considered that their wife could actually WANT to be that dirty with them? That it's actually the fault of the state of their marriage, not their wife being sex-negative? You don't get to have dirty sex just by wishing for it, guys. You gotta talk about relationships, and hug her, and give her flowers now and then, and remember birthdays and anniversaries.

Oh, and milt? It could say "I wish my husband would drive me like this." ;)

Anonymous said...

Maybe I should quickly clarify that I'm being slightly sarcastic by portraying all women as interested in commitment and hugging. Some of them really do just want the dirty sex, but none of THOSE women necessitate stupid tire covers. :)

Anonymous said...

I don't think these men *are* thinking at all. They are just being boorish oafs. I doubt it goes any deeper than that.

Julie said...

Thanks for the supportive comments folks. I was a bit nervous about this post because I'd never heard anyone else be offended by these wheel covers, so it's nice to know I'm not alone!

Anonymous said...

The sort of people who buy off-roaders solely for on-road use are, according to car company research, mediocre on both IQ and EQ scores. Maybe their wives are too. She might even think the cover is a compliment. After all she does think her off-roader is safer than a car when crash testing has revealed the exact opposite. He probably thinks he is being clever by paying the cheaper price for deisel and not paying for his RUCs.