Inthefrow #2 featuring Whiny Magrath, the real housewive of Frowburbia.

[langwidere]

I often lurk on here, disagree with a lot of what these influencers do and think it's important we're calling out the lack of transparency around ads. However, I have to say that this whole Alex = housewife thing is so bloody sexist and hypocritical. We moan at Victoria for supporting brands like Victoria's Secret and promoting companies that traditionally make women feel bad for the way they look and then here's everyone calling Alex a wifey because he took her last name? Come on, guys... Even if she went out and did all the work and he literally stayed at home and did nothing, that's totally fine if it works for them and doesn't mean that she's the husband and he's the wife. Wives can bring home the bread too!

I absolutely see what you mean that equating being a housewife to being useless and less valuable is misogynistic and archaic—I guess for me personally the point is more that women who ‘stay at home’ do a lot of invisible thankless work that is valued less than ‘bringing home the bread’, so to speak. But Alex really seems to be shameless in how he just...has given up. While I agree that gender roles deserve to be dismantled, I don’t think any self-respecting able-bodied adult should feel ‘totally fine’ about staying at home doing nothing! Especially because I’m sure housewives do a whole lot of work behind the scenes that no one speaks about—unless they’re influencers, in which case we get a granular breakdown of which vacuum cleaner they love this week.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with their dynamic of one person in a relationship being the one who earns an income while the other does other forms of labour. Just because it’s not paid work doesn’t mean it’s not work. But at the same time, I do take issue with the tendency for these Instagram husbands to quit their jobs and start assisting their partners—more often than not they’re not making more or better content, and instead they’re tagging along on brand trips and living the high life.

But I agree with your point that conflating these things can be reductive and an oversimplification! I guess on this forum we assume that most users are women who obviously don’t think this about their own gender, and instead the use of ‘housewife’ here is shorthand for what Alex’s behaviour represents. Perhaps a more suitable parallel would be ‘trophy wife’—but at least those are meant to be attractive and pleasing to the eye.

Alex Harrison is...not either of those things. [emoji15]

 

[Drasticactions]

Ugh she needs to stop pimping her wedding, I don't care that the Telegraph posted something about your wedding a month later. I really don't respect any of the places that posted about her sooo just be quiet already?

 

[Gemma_NYC]

here's everyone calling Alex a wifey because he took her last name

I hear you. But I'm fairly sure no one is calling Alex wifey because of a name change. It has way more to do with his personality and overall antics that go way beyond a sheet of paper.

 

[langwidere]

Ugh she needs to stop pimping her wedding, I don't care that the Telegraph posted something about your wedding a month later. I really don't respect any of the places that posted about her sooo just be quiet already?

She’s got to show her gratitude for all that hard work the Gleam team did in getting her all that press! It’s not like they’d have picked that up organically. Whenever I get tired of seeing her boring gloomy wedding posts I remind myself that if I’m annoyed, her peers must be furious!

 

[Angeoudemon]

Ugh she needs to stop pimping her wedding, I don't care that the Telegraph posted something about your wedding a month later. I really don't respect any of the places that posted about her sooo just be quiet already?

She did apologize for the wedding spam on her instastories, which I think was good of her to be fair, maybe a little late though?

It has nothing to do with him taking her last name it's his attitude in general.

 

[Lenusi87]

Ooh, please, have some empathy for the poor bub! He’s been a busy little cherub.

“Dearest hubby/Boss Babe Vicky,

Please find attached my invoice for services this past fortnight.

Description:
- Tuna and broccoli pasta bake x 1
- Cup of coffee x 22
- Edited vlogs x 6
- Kiss on the forehead x 3
- Appeared shirtless in your vlog (blushes)
- Wore my cap backwards the way you like!!!
- Put on my wedding suit to cheer you up when that cow Lydia called you her chauffeur...#tedbaker #ad
- Reminded you not to eat x 7000000000 (this one is priceless)

Balance due: A new Gucci backpack and a reversible Burberry tote/nappy bag for our future dogs and children, infinite trips to the nearest train station, at least 17 minutes of uncut airtime on each of your next 24 vlogs, and 20 pounds of your flesh—maybe instead of eating avocado toast you can just lick my plate after I’m done.

Hugs and kisses (I’ll throw those in for free because that’s what #marriedlife is all about...) from your loving wifey,

Alex Magrath (née Harrison, Lumi, not Lynx) xoxo



.

Omg I just died and went to sarcasm heaven!

"You can lick my plate after I am done" I laughed so hard I scared the fleas off my neighbor's dog

 

[goatscheese]

I absolutely see what you mean that equating being a housewife to being useless and less valuable is misogynistic and archaic—I guess for me personally the point is more that women who ‘stay at home’ do a lot of invisible thankless work that is valued less than ‘bringing home the bread’, so to speak. But Alex really seems to be shameless in how he just...has given up. While I agree that gender roles deserve to be dismantled, I don’t think any self-respecting able-bodied adult should feel ‘totally fine’ about staying at home doing nothing! Especially because I’m sure housewives do a whole lot of work behind the scenes that no one speaks about—unless they’re influencers, in which case we get a granular breakdown of which vacuum cleaner they love this week.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with their dynamic of one person in a relationship being the one who earns an income while the other does other forms of labour. Just because it’s not paid work doesn’t mean it’s not work. But at the same time, I do take issue with the tendency for these Instagram husbands to quit their jobs and start assisting their partners—more often than not they’re not making more or better content, and instead they’re tagging along on brand trips and living the high life.

But I agree with your point that conflating these things can be reductive and an oversimplification! I guess on this forum we assume that most users are women who obviously don’t think this about their own gender, and instead the use of ‘housewife’ here is shorthand for what Alex’s behaviour represents. Perhaps a more suitable parallel would be ‘trophy wife’—but at least those are meant to be attractive and pleasing to the eye.

Alex Harrison is...not either of those things. [emoji15]


.

I don't follow Alex all too closely to be honest so I only know about his behaviours from what I read on here. Who knows, maybe he does do all the housework...

I do think it'd be better for him to do some other work, if not to prove he's not a leech then at least for both their sanity! It can't be easy living, travelling and working with one person 24/7!

 

[Hallobrit]

I hear you. But I'm fairly sure no one is calling Alex wifey because of a name change. It has way more to do with his personality and overall antics that go way beyond a sheet of paper.

Either way, it is being used as an insult

 

[Oohthedrama]

I often lurk on here, disagree with a lot of what these influencers do and think it's important we're calling out the lack of transparency around ads. However, I have to say that this whole Alex = housewife thing is so bloody sexist and hypocritical. We moan at Victoria for supporting brands like Victoria's Secret and promoting companies that traditionally make women feel bad for the way they look and then here's everyone calling Alex a wifey because he took her last name? Come on, guys... Even if she went out and did all the work and he literally stayed at home and did nothing, that's totally fine if it works for them and doesn't mean that she's the husband and he's the wife. Wives can bring home the bread too!

you joined up and within TWO MINUTES you’re telling people what they can and can’t say.
na..... nope..... not a chance

Either way, it is being used as an insult

It absolutely is people need to stop looking for things to be offended about or leave the gossip forums behind.

 

[Angeoudemon]

you joined up and within TWO MINUTES you’re telling people what they can and can’t say.
na..... nope..... not a chance



It absolutely is people need to stop looking for things to be offended about or leave the gossip forums behind.

It's just tongue in cheek and not with any malicious intent...comedians have a hard time these days for sure.

 

[MissMew]

I hear you. But I'm fairly sure no one is calling Alex wifey because of a name change. It has way more to do with his personality and overall antics that go way beyond a sheet of paper. [emoji2368]

Agree! He’s a whiny little entitled housewife like the Peg Bundy character in “Married with Children” And why he’d take her name and not at least hyphenate like The MGs did is strange. Almost as strange as it resulting in two Alex Magraths...

 

[Lechat]

There’s nothing wrong with a man taking his wife’s surname. Except in this case it has resulted in Vick having a brother and husband with the same damn name. I think that is a little weird and awkward especially for her brother. I think it shows a lack of respect to her brother in fact, and that narcissistic Harrison does what ever he wants regardless of how it impacts others. There’s no reason he needed to change his surname at all unless the “McGraths” are trying to style themselves into a brand. Gawd help us all

 

[Oohthedrama]

My only issue with him taking her name is that throughout his professional life as a photographer his name has always been Harrison. not even Alex Harrison it’s ALWAYS just been Harrison.
So he’s dropping his identity to become Mrs magrath. And if he’s going to act like an emotional housewife i will refer to him as one.
I’m not saying ALL women are emotional and chained to the kitchen sink ffs, but he is the stereotypical housewife that complains about everything, feels neglected and wants attention and praise because he’s making dinner for his wife

I don’t know if this is her attempt at getting him to wife her up, that she’s passing over half of her business to him or something bizarre like that and in return he’s take her name.

There’s no reason he needed to change his surname at all unless the “McGraths” are trying to style themselves into a brand. Gawd help us all

who knows, il judge on what we see about their relationship and il continue to see Alex as an emotional new wife.

 

[Gemma_NYC]

My only issue with him taking her name is that throughout his professional life as a photographer his name has always been Harrison. not even Alex Harrison it’s ALWAYS just been Harrison.
So he’s dropping his identity to become Mrs magrath. And if he’s going to act like an emotional housewife i will refer to him as one.
I’m not saying ALL women are emotional and chained to the kitchen sink ffs, but he is the stereotypical housewife that complains about everything, feels neglected and wants attention and praise because he’s making dinner for his wife

I don’t know if this is her attempt at getting him to wife her up, that she’s passing over half of her business to him or something bizarre like that and in return he’s take her name.



who knows, il judge on what we see about their relationship and il continue to see Alex as an emotional new wife.

To your point, Alex lacks a lot of positive masculine traits...

While Victoria gives off BDE (Big D*ck Energy). Hence, the housewife term is entirely applicable. From the little I've seen, he's a quasi-man-child that needs constant attention and ego-stroking. That's tiring for any man or woman.

He acts like a stereotypical housewife (i.e., the negative imagery associated with that term). Saying so is not indicating that all women who stay at home are "stereotypical."

P.s. Not convinced he was too attached to his has-been career, given he quit his job to follow Vic around the world and tried to even start a now-defunct vlog to feature his freeloading escapades. There are plenty of husbands who take on a supporting role for their influenza wives and don't give off "housewife" vibes. Alex definitely does.

 

[Thistles]

My only issue with him taking her name is that throughout his professional life as a photographer his name has always been Harrison. not even Alex Harrison it’s ALWAYS just been Harrison.
So he’s dropping his identity to become Mrs magrath. And if he’s going to act like an emotional housewife i will refer to him as one.
I’m not saying ALL women are emotional and chained to the kitchen sink ffs, but he is the stereotypical housewife that complains about everything, feels neglected and wants attention and praise because he’s making dinner for his wife

I don’t know if this is her attempt at getting him to wife her up, that she’s passing over half of her business to him or something bizarre like that and in return his take her name.


who knows, il judge on what we see about their relationship and il continue to see Alex as an emotional new wife.

Yet, most people wouldn't have cared if she became Ms Harrison. Why is it suddenly only seen as a problem for a man to take on an alias surname? Personally I find it a bit dated that they felt the need to share a surname, but cultural differences and all that. It was a bit odd how he only branded himself by his surname though, guess they already are trying to be a "duo" in terms of her channel's creators, which seems to have been a mixed bag in terms of viewer reaction.

 

[Drasticactions]

Yet, most people wouldn't have cared if she became Ms Harrison. Why is it suddenly only seen as a problem for a man to take on an alias surname? Personally I find it a bit dated that they felt the need to share a surname, but cultural differences and all that. It was a bit odd how he only branded himself by his surname though, guess they already are trying to be a "duo" in terms of her channel's creators, which seems to have been a mixed bag in terms of viewer reaction.

I'm so shocked by my friends and co workers (I am a pharmacist and so are most of my coworkers ) who are all educated women but get so excited about changing their name. It is really bizarre I basically side eye anyone. Changing their name for marriage these days. My motto is keep your own damn name.

So I side eye Alex mostly bc he must be doing this as some sort of power move, or to hold it over her head later "I changed my name for you!" Or maybe he's trying to show her brother he's the "better Alex MaGrath" I'd have been pretty disappointed if Vicky had become MS Harrison bc I feel like she should know better with her whole half assed feminism

If they truly decided it together then good for them, but I don't trust him be he's lazy, whiny, and entitled. I think maybe she told him she was keeping her name and he threw a fit about what to name the kids and took her name in hopes no one would know he wasn't originally Mr magrath.

 

[Georgeeee]

Name changed=business move. Alex wants in on the insta fame.

And yes he's a 'kept man'. Gleam don't pay him a wage do they? His wife gives him an allowance hence the new shirt etc after being sent shopping with boss babe Vic's credit card. It's like Pretty Woman....but Ugly Man.

 

[langwidere]

It's like Pretty Woman....but Ugly Man.

I’m deceased. Responding from purgatory. Imagining some alternate universe where a Victoria climbs up the fire escape in her Sophia Webster heels to beg Alex to please for the love of god propose to her already because she’s too busy flying to ~Milano~ for the launch of a lip crayon and has no time to date.

Closing remarks on the wifey thing:
Anyone with eyes can see that Vicky is frayed, burnt out, and stretched thin as a whisper. For all that she says, « You guysssss I’m so busy!!! » she really is doing the most and you can see how desperately she’s chasing every last perfumed dollar. I don’t know about the day-to-day reality of their life off camera but I can’t respect any human who sees their supposed ‘best friend’ working her ass off and still finds it within himself to whine and mope and sit around shirtless playing video games and negging her for his weekly allowance.

I wonder what their long term goals are? If he really wants to start breeding then he should be thinking about how they can potentially retire early and achieve financial independence. But he seems to love himself too much and fancies a shift to a family channel I suppose. Better sell their lives for content than actually work another day in his life.

 

[Gemma_NYC]

I don’t know about the day-to-day reality of their life off camera but I can’t respect any human who sees their supposed ‘best friend’ working her ass off and still finds it within himself to whine and mope and sit around shirtless playing video games and negging her for his weekly allowance.

All-of-this!

 

[QueenDecember]

Joining @Gemma_NYC in that applause because, yes!!

@langwidere thank you for so perfectly articulating that! [emoji122][emoji122][emoji122]