Keisha Shakespeare-Blackmore, Staff Reporter
Underwear, who should wash them? - PHOTOS BY KEISHA SHAKESPEARE-BLACKMORE
YOUR UNDERWEAR must be washed but have you ever wondered who should do it? Many believe it is a woman's job while others say it the helper's.
Underwear are worn next to the skin beneath outer clothing. With body odour and secretions, it is a part of good hygiene that your underwear have to be cleaned before wearing them again. In some families, mother teaches daughter to wash her own undies. But the same mother will wash her son's and allow the daughter to wash her father's or brother's underwear but will never allow her son to wash hers or his sister's underwear. So what lesson is she teaching the boy? And is this a case of double standard or is it a matter of culture?
John Hebert, now 32 years old, said he currently washes his own underwear as he is a bachelor. But when he was a boy his mother did it. He said he believed that a woman should wash a man's underwear but not the opposite.
"That is just what I grew up seeing. A mother will wash her husband and son's underwear and hang them on the line but will hang hers inside. I guess women's underwear are very personal and not everyone should be seeing them," he explained. He added that though he believes a woman should wash a man's underwear, he would not give his girlfriend his underwear to wash. And he definitely would not wash hers.
"It's like ordering a burger. I don't want to see when they are killing the cow; I just want the finished product," he reckoned.
On the other hand, David Jacobsdoes not believe that a woman should wash a man's underwear. His mother taught him to wash his underwear, even though he grew up with a sister.
"My mother taught me that doing so is a sign of independence," Mr. Jacobs noted.
DISRESPECTFUL
He told Flair that though he is married, he practises what his mother taught him 25 years ago." I believe that giving my wife my underwear to wash would be disrespectful, so I wash them myself." But Mr. Jacobs said he would not wash a woman's underwear, even if she is ill. He, however, pointed out that he has no problem with taking them off the line.
There is much debate as to whether the helper should wash the underwear. Margaret Blacksaid she was a domestic helper over 20 years ago. She worked for a couple with two children and never washed anyone's underwear.
"If my boss had done that, I would quit immediately. I think that any woman who asks her helper to wash her husband's, children's or her underwear is a nasty woman. It is her duty to take care of her family's personal and not mine as a helper," said Mrs. Black strongly.
Christina Williamsalso said that it is wrong and disrespectful to give the helper underwear to wash. She has a seven-year-old daughter and she told the helper not to wash her underwear anymore because she is now a big girl and can do it herself.
Well, the underwear debate won't be 'going under' anytime soon.
