In a recent appearance in the morning show Good Morning Britain, pro boxer Amir Khan’s wife Faryal Makhdoom took a stand for stay-at-home mothers everywhere and was of the view that they should be receiving a viable salary.
Deeming stay-at-home mothers as the ‘CEO of the house’, Makhdoom shed light on all the unpaid labour they do and accumulated their monetary value to be more than that of a surgeon or a lawyer.
“We’re not just looking after our children but the entire house. A CEO of the house that’s not getting paid. It’s laundry, cooking, cleaning, looking after your children, and I think when you put it all together, we should get paid more than a surgeon or a lawyer, it adds up to £100k a year, more than that,” she said.
Although Makhdoom admitted that she herself is not a conventional stay-at-home mother and still has a lot of household helpers to aid with daily matters, she mentioned women who can’t afford all the luxuries of hiring maids or helpers to help with daily chores.
“What about some of my friends who can’t afford it? They have to leave work to look after their children because childcare is more expensive and their husband’s don’t have that extra money to give their wives. I feel like we’re helping the economy by staying home and doing all the work we would be getting from the government,” she added.
To counteract her point, fellow guest judge and former Sugababes band member Amelle Berrabah elucidated how raising children shouldn’t be viewed as a job, when conceiving them is a choice.
However, Makhdoom’s take was met with mixed reviews. Many people criticised her views, making it seem contradictory with her lifestyle, and stood with the fact that household chores are not a job.
@GMB I can’t believe what I’m hearing from Faryal Makhdoom , obviously lives in a plastic world, yeah she needs to get paid just to keep her ridiculous image! Children are a blessing, not something you think the world owes you a pay cheque for !
— Michelle Lyons (@lyons_lyons1970) June 7, 2019
https://twitter.com/SunniSlave/status/1137031148675174400?s=20
What does #FaryalMakhdoom actually do other than being a pro doormat for her cheating husband. HE pays FOR you to just exist and take selfies. Stfu #GMB
— Kiran (@kiran_thandi03) June 7, 2019
#FaryalMakhdoom #gmb a woman who chose to have her kids then follows her husband around and leaves her kids to be babysat by other ppl, has a cook and a cleaner wants to be paid for basically reproducing one kid which she had to keep her love rat husband. pic.twitter.com/UtEAzODH03
— Maya maya (@2124_maya) June 7, 2019
Faryal Makhdoom’s the sort of person to say why don’t we print more money so everyone can be rich and no one will be in poverty
— Dr. King Schultz (@zains96) June 8, 2019
While on the other hand, a few agreed with her point of view, and stressed upon how much stay-at-home mothers have to sacrifice for their kids.
Faryal Makhdoom really just out there summarizing the work of hundreds of feminist thinkers and scholars. A queen, we stan.
— Atiya Abbas (@AtiyaAbbas_) June 9, 2019
My life insurance is more than my husband’s. Our financial analyst told him if I died today, he won’t be able to afford the services I provide. Unpaid homemaker labor is a concept that economists hope to add to the GDP but most Desis are too dense to grasp it! #FaryalMakhdoom
— Humeira Ajaz Kazmi (@humeirakazmi) June 8, 2019
All these men making jokes about Faryal Makhdoom's comment on paying stay-at-home moms clearly do not know the amount of sacrifices and efforts their mothers have put in raising their ignorant asses.
— Rabia (@damselindupatta) June 9, 2019
I love what Faryal Makhdoom is doing with her platform. Domestic work is work. It should be compensated in some way, especially because you’d pay someone else to do it if you yourself couldn’t. https://t.co/G29aiABZs2
— Hania (@haniainabox) June 8, 2019
Meanwhile, check out the entire broadcast and let us know what you think!
