Treat Her Like A Woman

One of my cartoons that was published in The Sun on 9 June 2001.

The scene is set in a marriage guidance office: the counsellor sits at his desk facing the husband, while the wife’s chair beside him is conspicuously empty. The counsellor says: “Actually, when I said treat her like a woman, I didn’t mean send her out to wash-up the cups!”

The humour works on a few levels. First, it plays on the well-known phrase “treat her like a woman,” which ordinarily implies respect, attention, and emotional care. In the cartoon it’s twisted to suggest the husband misheard - or misapplied - the advice, turning it into housework. 

The gap between intended meaning and literal action makes the joke land. 

Second, placing the line in a professional counselling setting sharpens the contrast: advice is supposed to be wise and considered, but here it’s applied naively and absurdly. 

It’s a funny, gentle poke at stereotypes and miscommunication in relationships.

If you liked this post, you might enjoy “Don’t Confuse Your Internet Search with Research” or “On the Face of It”.