exellent

It becomes difficult to form an opinion regards some social issue when there are gender biased viewpoints being put forward. This article starts with the following “There is no doubt that women find it hard to mix paid work in with their mothering”.

A less gender-biased, and perhaps more accurate statement would be “There is no doubt that fathers and mothers find it hard to mix paid work in with their parenting”.

Because the article starts in such a gender-biased way it becomes difficult to regard the rest of the article seriously. Should all attention, money, or resources just be given to mothers?

I don’t think so.

Timkins -

I agree with your call for more resources for parents all round. But, your assumption that a writer can cover all bases within an opinion article means you are unfair in your call for Tracey to be less gender biased.

This is a well articulated piece that hooks a current poltical situation with a broader issue of importance to many women.

I think we first need to call on men to start addressing their own actions and attitudes before we ask for more resources.

Studies are demonstarting men have still very poor take up rates for family friendly work conditions. Men might be right on the rhetoric, but on the whole are not even making use of the policy as it currently stands.

For a more detailed opinion:

http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=2947

cheers,

I agree with all three writers that this is an area of concern for everyone. The article however was written by a woman regarding a particular problem and how it impacts upon her and her friends and colleagues who are also women. She has children, so do they. Women who have children are called mothers. Not fathers. I agree with Daniel's comments to Timkins who I feel is being rather unfair. This piece is underpinned by the writer's own particular experiences which are those of a mother. That isn't a demonstration of bias but of fact. To even up the balance Timkins, perhaps you could write a piece concerning the same subject and how it has impacted upon you and other fathers? I think that the more mothers/fathers, men/women relate their personal experiences of general problems the more we can gain understanding, tolerance and connectedness between the genders.

In a non-biased society, a writer should be considering both genders, and not just one. I have seen literally hundreds of articles similar to this one, and normally it leads to biased and distorted opinions being formed. Eventually someone who may be in need is overlooked.

It should not be a case of one writer writing an article about one gender, and then another writer having to write an article about the other gender, so as to present the other gender’s viewpoint. That can go on forever.

The writer should have researched “both” mothers and fathers, and written an article on “both” to avoid distorted opinions being formed. That is called journalistic integrity, and I agree with journalistic integrity.

Timkins -

That would be fine if writer's for onlineopinion.com.au were journalists. Very few actually are.

While opinion writing should attempt to address a variety of aspects of an argument, most people writing them are not trying to give a balanced view. If you want a balanced view, perhaps you should read the Guardian Weekly website.

An opinion writer is under no obligation to address the broadest possible issues. Actually, the more specific the argument the better the piece usually is.

You obviously have strong views about the need to represent fathers in the debate about parenting and families. I do to. I find the most constructive thing to do is to keep presenting the issues I feel are important, rather than criticising someone else for not presenting a viewpoint I think should be presented.

cheers.