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desilu #1 · 01-12-2006, 11:00 PM

What do you all think Ward's reaction would have been to Women's Lib?
I feel that even though he loved June very much and treated her very well, I just don't think he would have been very thrilled with it. He seemed as though he wasn't much for change, especially something like that.

tdr · 01-13-2006, 01:18 AM

I think neither Ward nor June would have been "thrilled" with it, yet if asked, or if 'the subject came up' they would probably say they do believe in equality, or equal rights. But then if you get down to some specifics... the idea that the boys might end up being secretaries to female professionals, that they might have a granddaughter who wants to try out for the football team, that they might be going to one of those parties at the country club and it's being picketed by feminists holding a burning bra on a stick.... I think they would really be among the mainstream, and they would agree that women can pursue their dreams as long as they [Cleavers] can still live their way, no matter what radicals may think of them and discomfort doesn't come too close.

Wally and Beaver might have had more trouble with the 'women's lib' thing, being young men in the late 60's and 70' whose example family was clearly headed by the father and the mother took care of all the family's domestic needs and never complained. The girls/women they became involved with would have been affected by the movement to some extent and they may have changed from wanting the June-like happy homemaker role to the new concept of "self-fullment first." That, in fact, was the given reason for Beaver's divorce which begins the 1981 movie, Still the Beaver.

01-12-2006, 11:00 PM	#1
desilu #1 Lucy/Desi 4-EVER Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 23, 2000 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan USA Posts: 724	Women's Lib What do you all think Ward's reaction would have been to Women's Lib? I feel that even though he loved June very much and treated her very well, I just don't think he would have been very thrilled with it. He seemed as though he wasn't much for change, especially something like that.
	__________________ Amy M. Weaver

01-13-2006, 01:18 AM	#2
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	I think neither Ward nor June would have been "thrilled" with it, yet if asked, or if 'the subject came up' they would probably say they do believe in equality, or equal rights. But then if you get down to some specifics... the idea that the boys might end up being secretaries to female professionals, that they might have a granddaughter who wants to try out for the football team, that they might be going to one of those parties at the country club and it's being picketed by feminists holding a burning bra on a stick.... I think they would really be among the mainstream, and they would agree that women can pursue their dreams as long as they [Cleavers] can still live their way, no matter what radicals may think of them and discomfort doesn't come too close. Wally and Beaver might have had more trouble with the 'women's lib' thing, being young men in the late 60's and 70' whose example family was clearly headed by the father and the mother took care of all the family's domestic needs and never complained. The girls/women they became involved with would have been affected by the movement to some extent and they may have changed from wanting the June-like happy homemaker role to the new concept of "self-fullment first." That, in fact, was the given reason for Beaver's divorce which begins the 1981 movie, Still the Beaver.