It is not particularly troubling that modern consumers want to recreate a world with more leisure and more decadence at a price the modern middle class can afford. But the idea that homemaking is only for women, is. On the Charlie Rose Talk Show Martha said of her mission, "I was serving a desire--not only mine, but every homemaker's desire, to elevate that job of homemaker."

But where is the man who buys the begonias? The husband who helps create the sumptuous dinner party? Martha herself admits that her passion for gardening came from her father. So why are her products marketed so exclusively to women?

The real reason Martha came to Harvard is to show women that you can have it all, and cheap too. But by concealing her large staff who work behind the scenes, Martha also conceals that fact that you can't have it all alone. Now, as ever, women need men's help to create the perfect (one of Martha's favorite words) house and home.

Martha came to Harvard to teach us a strategy for success. But in the future, if the Ann Radcliffe Trust really wants to help women out, they should bring in a house-husband for a change.

I'll tell you the truth: I'm sick and tired of older women telling me that I'm going to have to make tough choices, that I can't be Martha the homemaker and Martha the entrepreneur simultaneously. Well, Martha isn't really a homemaker and I don't like crafts. But furthermore, I want to know why the Ann Radcliffe Trust isn't sitting men down and asking them to think about what it means to be superman, how they're going to balance being both dad and executive.

Women at Harvard spend too much time going to "Family and Career" panels--someone please tell me why this is always a staple of the Women's Leadership Conference?--while men spend their time preparing for recruiting. Trust me, they're not talking about familial responsibilities in the final clubs. Women don't need speakers to tell them how to be successful businesswomen: Men need lessons on how to be successful husbands and fathers.

Martha's time is up. It's time to take the conversation elsewhere.

Meredith B. Osborn '02 is a social studies concentrator in Leverett House. Her column appears on alternate Fridays.