The Husband Stitch By Carmen Maria Machado

"The Husband Stitch," a short story by Carmen Maria Machado, explores the theme of gender roles and domestic life, revealing how these traditional gender roles can lead to the oppression and subjugation of women. This story is a retell of the classic folktale "The Green Ribbon," with added elements that focus on societal expectations of gender roles. The story follows a woman through her life, from childhood to motherhood, as she struggles to maintain her independance and identity in the face of male dominance. The story ultimately serves as a commentary on the oppressive nature of traditional gender roles and their impact on women. Through vivid imagery, powerful symbolism, and a feminist perspective, Machado critiques patriarchal systems

She takes care of their child, cooks, and cleans, while her husband goes out to work. This division of labor reflects patriarchal gender roles, where men are the breadwinners and women are responsible for the home and children. However during her time spent with her child, the narrator reveals that, "My son touches my ribbon, but never in a way that makes me afraid. He thinks of it as a part of me, and he treats it no differently than he would an ear or finger," (Machado 2014). The upbringing of gender roles is demonstrated in this story by how the son is being raised to accept and normalize patriarchy. The mother's ribbon symbolizes her body and control, which is threatened by the male gaze and the societal expectations of women. However, her son touches the ribbon without hesitation, indicating that he sees it as a harmless part of her body. The son's actions may seem innocent, but they suggest the patriarchal norm that women's bodies are not their own. By treating the ribbon "no differently than he would an ear or finger," the son is learning to view women's bodies as objects that can be touched and manipulated without regard for their body or control. This socialization perpetuates gender inequality and illlustrates harmful stereotypes about women’s gender roles, where women are expected to submit to men. Hence, the example given demonstrates how patriarchal norms are perpetuated and

The "husband stitch" itself is a symbol of how women's bodies are controlled by men. The fact that women are given this stitch without their consent, and that it is intended to make sex more pleasurable for men, highlights the way in which women's bodies have historically been viewed as objects for male pleasure. After the narrator has given birth, the husband and doctor discuss of an extra stitch and when the narrator wakes up from her exhaustion the doctor says to her, “You’re all sewn up, don’t you worry, he said. Nice and tight, everyone’s happy." The use of the phrase "sewn up" is particularly telling as it evokes the idea of objectification and control over the female body, reducing it to a mere object that can be manipulated and altered at will. This idea supports gender-based oppression by perpetuating the notion that women's bodies are not their own, and that men should have the right to control and manipulate women to satisfy their wants. The comment that 'everyone's happy' suggests the societal expectation for the narrator to conform to a standard of physical attractiveness and sexual appeal, regardless of her own opinions or preferences. Thus, the comment showcases gender based oppression by bringing to attention the idea that women's bodies are objects to be controlled and manipulated by men, and that societal expectations of physical appearance and sexual behavior should take