Good wives are submissive--Gabrielle Reece

[one_voice]

Gabrielle Reece, Laird Hamilton's Wife, Says Being 'Submissive' Is A Sign Of Strength

Volleyball star Gabrielle Reece and pro surfer Laird Hamilton have been married for 17 years, and Reece recently revealed the controversial secret to their successful relationship: creating an "old fashioned" dynamic.

In appearances on the "Today" show and "Rock Center With Brian Williams" Friday, Reece explained that she and Hamilton considered divorcing after four years of marriage. But their relationship improved when they learned how to complement each other by adopting more traditional gender roles.

*snip*

Reece recently wrote a memoir called "My Foot Is Too Big For The Glass Slipper," in which she claims, “to truly be feminine means being soft, receptive, and –- look out, here it comes –- submissive.”

But on the "Today" show, she clarified that she doesn't think being "submissive" is a sign of weakness.

“I think because women have the ability to set the tone, that the ultimate strength and showing real power, I believe, is creating that environment," she said. "I think it’s a sign of strength.’’

*snip*

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/13/gabrielle-reece-laird-hamilton_n_3071594.html

[Lindsay]

3. Maybe it does work for her.

Does it ever occur to her that people are not all alike, and that maybe this wouldn't work for someone else?

It's not a one-size-fits-all life!

Not to mention I am so tired of Celebrity Pronouncements, whether they're religious celebrities or not.

[one_voice]

6. I actually agree with you...

if it works for her then good for her I guess.

I could never be submissive, it's not my style. I don't agree with that way of thinking and wouldn't want to see my daughter live like that. I didn't raise her like that, I did not raise my son to ask or expect a woman to be submissive to him, but rather his equal.

But as you said, it's not a one size fit all.

[bettyellen]

31. or it's a great hook for her new book about the Glass Slipper...

sounds like she married a real prince, huh?

[treestar]

2. Where do these women come from?

It's 2013!

Is she a fundie maybe?

[LadyHawkAZ]

4. *thump* *thump* *thump* *thump* *thump* *thump*

[In_The_Wind]

44. !

Careful, you'll get a headache.

[LadyHawkAZ]

46. *thump*ow*thump*ow*thump*ow*thump*ow*thump*ow*thump*

Too late.

[Dawson Leery]

5. She and Underwood are embarrassments.

[rrneck]

8. Submissiveness is boring. nt

[smirkymonkey]

39. Thank YOU!

I like a little spice in my relationships.

[Honeycombe8]

9. Let's see what she says when he dumps her for a young chickadee in a few years....

someone who is younger, prettier, more submissive, less athletic and driven, less ambitious...in short, even more traditional. I wonder if she'll think contorting her natural self was worth it, while he was free to be the master of his destiny.

Being a volleyball player is hardly being feminine, the traditional woman. She's fooling herself. Trying to act like something she is not, in order to fit his view of what a wife should be. It may work for a while, but the real you always comes out, IMO. How valid a marriage is it, if you are not allowed to be who you are? There are women who ARE naturally submissive. It sounds like she is not, though, or they wouldn't have had to change her behavior for her to be considered feminine and submissive.

Makes me wonder why he married an athlete, if what he wanted was Marilyn Monroe.

[Raine1967]

33. +1

I married into a relationship with a person I loved -- not someone I wanted to change to fit a mold -- and vice verse.

This OP is a strange one. WTH is this idea of a traditional marriage, anyway? (don't answer, I know)

What I find strange is having to change to make the marriage work -- and when I say change, in this case it appears giving up on personal beliefs by the wife in order to please the marriage -- a style of marriage that it seems as tho the man wants.

I could be wrong, but that is how I read it.

[LWolf]

10. That's probably why I have 2 failed marriages behind me

and don't plan on a 3rd in this lifetime. I'm not submissive. It has also caused professional complications at times, and really pissed off DUers who want me to get in line and swear loyalty oaths during campaign season.

Oh, well.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

11. whatever. what makes her the expert on what it means to truly be feminine?

[newfie11]

12. Hahahahahahahaha

Not this one

[Lizzie Poppet]

13. Hugely important...

..to those who like to get their sociological insights from celebrities.

[LittleBlue]

14. uh oh

This won't go over well

[Initech]

15. Yeah really. Pass the butter.

[Cleita]

16. I wonder how much Xanax she's on. n/t

[BrotherIvan]

41. Winner!

[pipi_k]

17. Submissive wives...

for some reason, always conjures up, in my mind, undertones of a father/daughter relationship.

Ugh.

Really fucking creepy.

[In_The_Wind]

43. I agree with you it is really fucking creepy.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

18. I'll forward this advice to my wife. She needs a moment of hilarity.

[Shankapotomus]

19. Clearly, she's misidentified "cooperative"

as "submissive." The correct opposite of "competitive" being "cooperative", which can and should be engaged in by both parties in any relationship.

[LadyHawkAZ]

22. Excellent point n/t

[Xipe Totec]

20. Kinky

In surveys, anywhere from 8 -50 percent of both men and women report fantasizing about some kind of submissive kink. The wild success of the sado-masochistic novel “50 Shades of Grey,” is proof positive that heretofore unmentionable topics like BDSM (an acronym that comprises bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism and masochism) is now a titillating one for the general public.

http://www.youbeauty.com/relationships/the-psychology-of-submission

[TeamPooka]

21. Life in Stepford must be nice. nt

[Quantess]

23. Good for them, I guess.

I'm not sure why anyone is especially interested in their relationship.

[Blue Owl]

24. Better double check with the husband to make sure he'll allow it

[Sheldon Cooper]

25. I cannot relate to Gabrielle's idea of submission in the least.

But what I really don't understand is what kind of man would want a woman to submit to him? What sort of ego demands that your wife give up her very self in order to cater to your every whim and pleasure? I can't imagine a man who would want a doormat for a wife - instead of joining with your life's mate, to walk the journey together and face whatever may come up as a team, he is basically taking on another child. A child that will fuck him and clean his toilets, but a child nonetheless. It's really pretty creepy.

[smirkymonkey]

40. +1000

*This* exactly!

[cabot]

26. She doesn't seem happy

I watched her interview and her eyes seemed joyless. I could be wrong but I just don't think she's a happy woman. Considering her husband was married and had a brand new baby when they broke up his marriage by having an affair, perhaps she's just clinging on to the marriage to prove all those who criticized her for going after a married man wrong.

*really hoping the above makes sense. I'm on massive anti-allergy medicine. In my mind, it seems fine.

[Starry Messenger]

27. If I pulled that crap my husband would assume I was being sarcastic.

[bettyellen]

28. HA!

[Ilsa]

29. Submissiveness is assertiveness, up is down,

Night is day, submissiveness is strength.

All bullshit.

[mick063]

30. As long as a couple is on equal footing

It isn't bad to be submissive to each other.

I like that my wife is submissive as I am very submissive to her as well. We go out of our way to please each other.

After 14 years, I can honestly say that I love and respect her more than I did when we were first married.

In the end, isn't this about just being a good fit? Perhaps there are men and/or women that prefer to take a submissive role in a relationship. Nothing wrong with that as long as both sides know and accept it.

Here is what bothers me. When the concept is "spread" like religion. Imposing your will on others. Asking people to be what they are not. I am against denying the pursuit of happiness for others so that one may benefit at such expense.

To summarize, I don't think it is bad for an individual to take a submissive role if that is what they choose for themselves. I will not think lesser of them for it. Imposing submissiveness on others is a completely different story.

[MadrasT]

32. Well bless her heart (n/t)

[Raine1967]

34. I have a small question:

was the *good wife* part of the title anywhere in the article you posted? I looked, I may have missed it.

I think I am a wife. I'm not submissive. I'm just a wife and being one is a far far smaller part of my relationship with the person I happened to marry than the other parts.

We are friends.
We share interests.
We respect disinterest's without being dismissive.
We laugh.
We like to hang out together.
If I need my partner, they are there.
If partner needs me, I am there.

[one_voice]

35. Front page of Huffington post...

right hand side...just a small ways down the page...

Volleyball Champ Says Good Wives Are 'Submissive'

?6



I didn't make that up..just used what HuffPo had...


I think I'm a pretty good wife. I will be married 23 years in Dec. I've been with my husband for 25 years and I've known him since kindergarten. We were best friends in high school which I think is one of the most important things. I had a brief fools rush in marriage with someone, but found my way back to my husband.

We are equals. I enjoy being with him and I'm pretty sure he likes being with me.

Our kids are grown, my daughter is 27 my son is going to be 22. And we still have things to talk about.

Our time wasn't all about the kids. We made sure we had 'us' time too. We didn't want to be strangers when the kids grew up. Yet, we have our own interests too.

There are times when he's the strong one, and times when I am.

I can't imagine my life without him, and I don't mind saying that. I don't think that makes me weak or submissive. He's my other half.


Your marriage sounds like mind.

[Raine1967]

49. Thanks one_voice --

I really appreciate your response. Sounds like we might actually be doing things that works for our respective relationships.

And yeah -- sounds sorta similar!

I don't understand the relationship discussed in the OP. after all is said and done, I don't think I need to.

Choices are made. I hope they are happy.

[Warpy]

36. Aw, bullshit.

If a man needs something that submissive, he should get a dog and a sex doll.

Then again, I'd given up on the femininity thing by the time I was twelve. I was too good at math to pull it off.

[JaneyVee]

37. Love Laird Hamilton. Doesn't seem like he would exploit her femininity either. Peaceful guy.

[Warren DeMontague]

38. Whatever.

Sounds like a typical fundy; trying to tell everyone else how to live.

[In_The_Wind]

42. IMO: Gabrielle Reece, Laird Hamilton's Wife is off her rocker, totally wrong!

[quinnox]

45. I think there are marriages out there like this

and it works for them. I don't see a problem with it, whatever works. Some folks here may find it hard to believe, but there are women out there who are submissive types, and like to have their men be the dominant partner. Really. It's true.

Finally, it really isn't anyones business. But I guess this couple is famous or something, and so this is why it got attention. Whatever.

[Blue Idaho]

47. Welcome to sexist Christianity.

This is part of a fairly recent fundamentalist Christian movement based on the teachings of Paul. In short he orders that as the church is subject to Christ women must be subject to their husbands. They see this male dominated family structure as the one true way for families to find peace and harmony.

It's obvious she's been getting some religious instruction. I know a family that went through this same bible based nonsense right before their eventual divorce.

[phylny]

48. I've been married 32 years. I submit to my husband,

and he submits to me.

It works out GREAT!

[Demo_Chris]

50. You get one life, if someone is happy good for them. GREAT for them.

Don't like it? Feel like this is promoting sexual roles of which you do not approve? Keep it to yourself.

[one_voice]

51. I said all that did I?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2672122

[Demo_Chris]

52. Sorry, wasn't really directing that at any specific person, just in general.

[one_voice]

53. It's all good.

[Niceguy1]

54. du is s great place.

Opening doors, boobies, and now submission.

Lol.

[Knightraven]

55. Cool.

Works for them. They are happy, who am I to say anything.