Man's online ad for wife sparks outrage By Hannah Davies June 01, 2008 02:29am
ARE you humble enough to clean the boss's work shoes, brush his cat and buy gifts for his family and friends?
If so, then you could be the "virtual wife" Cameron Clancy is looking for.
The 37-year-old sales consultant has placed an advertisement with an online job website in the hope of finding a woman with "excellent support abilities".
Describing himself as a "busy, single professional", Mr Clancy says he wants help around the house so he can concentrate on building his business.
His "virtual wife" would have a long list of chores, including ironing, shopping, making lunch and dinner, and preparing food menus for his cat.
He expects all to be done in four to 16 hours a week.
Mr Clancy, of Forest Lake, in southwest Brisbane, said he had been unable to find a real wife.
"I'm drowning in work and I need your help," he said in the advertisement.
"I'm not looking for strictly a professional housekeeper and neither am I looking for strictly a personal assistant . . . kind of a virtual wife.
"So, you need to be humble enough to do my washing as well as savvy enough to make appointments with professional people."
His quest has angered feminists and academics, who say Mr Clancy's attitudes are ridiculously old fashioned.
Dr Vivienne Muller, a gender expert at Queensland University of Technology, said she would be surprised if any women responded.
"This man is way behind the times," she said.
"He is hugely undervaluing women and has got the role of a modern wife completely wrong.
"Many men do these household tasks for themselves today, and many women take an entrepreneurial role."
Domestic violence worker Chantal Eastwell, who is helping co-ordinate Brisbane's Feminist Conference, was shocked.
"What angers me is that some men do think they have the right to control women in this way," she said.
"It's terrible to have the attitude that women are subservient, and I hope no one wants to take this job."
But yesterday Mr Clancy, who says his ideal woman is actress Sandra Bullock, defended himself.
He told The Sunday Mail 10 women had applied for the job, though he would not reveal the salary.
"This could be the perfect job for someone," he said.
"These are not actually tasks I expect a real wife to do, but using the term virtual wife was the best way I could describe what I am after."
