Do you look down upon housemaids?

Question

I just read a question about someone having their maid wear a uniform. Some of the answers were a bit patronising. Do you think maids are stupid or less than you? Do you think that they cannot do any other type of work?

Erm, Richard. That was a rather racist remark. I had some in my family; and we are Anglo-Saxons.

I have no problem with the uniform bit. It was the attitude about it that got me.

CE2949BB---- Of course!

Answer 1

No I do not look down on maids. They are making an honest living like most of us today in our jobs. I do not think anyone is stupid..I certainly don't look down on anyones chosen occupation regardless of who they are. People can do anything in life they want to do...No job position makes a person lesser than another. I certainly would not request anyone to dress in a certain way if they worked for me.
We had a maid in our home while I was growing up...she was not looked down upon
but was respected and treated highly. She dressed as she wanted.

Answer 2

Actually, I'm impressed by how well they do their job; I get bored and go insane when I try to clean house, thus resulting in a crappy job. I think maids are perfectly capable of many things (you have to be smart and somewhat physically strong to be a maid), so I respect their choice of job. About the uniform thing- I agree that uniforms are degrading (and often just plain ugly!). I can say that part from experience because I went to a Catholic school with uniforms from preschool to 8th grade, and I would never make anyone else wear a uniform because I know how crappy it feels to wear one; it totally strips you of any individuality or dignity.

Answer 3

No. I respect our housekeeper (we don't have her now but we plan to have her again soon) She has a skill I absolutely do not have. She's efficient and organized. I feel poorly adjusted in her presence.

I don't necessarily see a problem with a uniform. especially if you have a multi-staff household. Uniforms can save your housekeeper's clothing! and often a uniform is made of very comfortable or breathable material. They should be comfortable and not be degrading or undignified. And the employer should foot the cost of the uniform if one is required. This isn't something we'd do. The girl who was coming is from an agency and wears a uniform. I've said it's unnecessary but I guess they have to.

Answer 4

heck no! I was a maid for about 2 years and was making 100K a year. I only clean 2 house now and still make 400 hundred a year. Look anything that makes money and keeps a roof over your head is a good job. You were probably reading from young, snobby kids that haven't have to fight for a dime to pay the light bill or buy food for their kids!

Answer 5

I am head housekeeper in one house and clean a couple of others.........yeah great use of my degree but like one of the above postings said I work hard for the hours that I am there but really make excellent money...............I for one would not be happy if I was expected to wear a uniform although I do tend to dress according to which part of the house is going to be dug out that day..............in general I wear a smart but loose t. shirt and a pair of jeans or long trousers, mainly due to being on hands and knees or up on a ladder.............but IF they insisted on a uniform for their benefit then I believe they would be looking for new help the next day.............

regards

Answer 6

I was raised with a live in maid and we didn't think one way or the other about her, she did her work and that was about it..she wanted to work so she did.i never thought of her as less or more then me. she simply did a job.she wished to do.
her mother got sick once for about a month and my parents let her off to go stay with her mother and paid her salary anyway and my mother went to her mothers home with food and helped her clean her mothers home once a week.. i am from a Southern Christian family .My parents were wonderful .kind people,as to uniforms. that would be pretentious .Southerners usually don't show off.I know a number of familys who have maids and they do not require them to wear uniforms.

Answer 7

Housemaids work is no different then a housewife's work other then the wife cares for the children too. As a housewife and mother there hasn't been to many things I haven't been able to do. I am just extremely under paid.

Answer 8

NO!

I fully appreciate maids, on the rare occasion I've hired them. they do the work well, efficiently and save me all kinds of time and effort.

However, the comany I hired them from does have a uniform - but that's not my doing, that's a condition of their employment with that company.

I respect anyone who does a job that I hate to do, or refuse to do.

Answer 9

Only when I’m standing at the top of the stairs.

Actually I give the housekeeper the same respect I give any woman, particularly an older woman. When I first met her she introduced herself by first-name. I cannot bring myself to address one of my elders by on that basis so I called her Senora. She appreciates the respect I pay her and has never attempted to take advantage of me for it. I don’t believe in treating people who work for me as though they are beneath me. I was raised by a Sudanese father and Bengali mother, and they would have my head if I did.

Answer 10

Is the maid cute? =)

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As long as the maid is cute and does a good job, I won't think anything negative about her. She's doing a job I sure as hell don't want to.

Let the dishes sit in the sink, but please have a nice butt. =)