What about dad?

I was struck by the juxtaposition of two stories in The New York Times earlier this week. One was a magazine article about stock car racer Dale Earnhardt Jr., the other a sports feature on New York Liberty power forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin. Both were well done, but they also replayed old stereotypes about what is expected of mothers and fathers in our society.

The McWilliams-Franklin story focused on how her travel schedule impacted her relationship with her daughters. It was part of the Times' series "Motherhood in Play." The Earnhardt piece discussed how Junior missed out on a relationship with his father, also a racing superstar.

These two ideas seem related, no? Yet why is there never a story on how pro sports affects fatherhood? The McWilliams-Franklin story told readers that 11 mothers play in the WNBA. I know it must be difficult for their families, but isn't it also difficult for all the families of fathers who play in the NBA?

The WNBA story actually quoted a social psychologist saying the following about the fact that McWilliams-Franklin's youngest daughter is cared for by the girl's father. "The ideal arrangement if you have to leave a young child is to leave it with a relative." Really? You mean, somebody like the kid's dad?

The stories seem to say that men being away from their families is the norm, although it may result in missed relationships, but women being away is abnormal. Subtle sexism is still sexism.