Why aren't fathers who work referred to as 'working fathers'?

This is a very good point. I guess its because it is the perceived "norm"that mothers should the ones staying home to raise children, if they don't they are a 'working mother". I find this very sexist and stereotypical. In my household I have been the one to work while my husband stayed at home with the kids. I know when he would take our kids to playgroups and such he would feel very uncomfortable and out of place.

by thriftyfrugalfun

Because it used to be the norm that the father worked and the mother stayed at home. Mothers who worked were referred to as 'working mothers' because it was not the norm. Now things have changed, but the terminology has still stuck. There are some countries, however (such as Germany), where it is still considered unusual for a mother to be working until the child starts full time education.

by Bryony Harrison

Because it used to be the norm that the father worked and the mother stayed at home. Mothers who worked were referred to as 'working mothers' because it was not the norm. Now things have changed, but the terminology has still stuck. There are some countries, however (such as Germany), where it is still considered unusual for a mother to be working until the child starts full time education.

by Bryony Harrison

Because in the past it was men who went out and worked outside of the home while women worked inside the home. It has always been a term which annoys me because it implies that women who stay at home with their children are not working, which to anyone who had ever done it (male or female) knows how untrue that is.

by Sarah Bell

Good question. Like others have said, it must be because fathers were, and perhaps still are in some contexts, expected first and foremost to be 'providers'. In this way, being a father could be seen as being synonymous with being a worker, as opposed to being the one to raise the children. So, to call a dad a 'working father' would be redundant. Today, however, things have changed and it is not as unusual as it use to be to have a father remain at home with the children while mother went off to work. In which case, we should rethink the terms we use to ensure fathers and mothers are equally appreciated and valued.

by Vee

I think that language today still reflects a lot of historical sexism. There are many double standards where language hasn't evolved to reflect the true state of play. A father who owns and runs his own enterprise is an entrepreneur but a mum that does the same is often know by the new term 'mumpreneur'. I think some language development and vocabulary rests on some version of sexism that isn't always as present in today's society. I'm not saying sexism doesn't exist, as clearly it's still in evidence, but with the number of women at work and in business increasing, it's surprising how language is still so outdated.

by helenonthesofa

Because of double standards, discrimination, and stereotypes.

by kimp

Well, this is really a good observation & there's no ' politician ' or a govt. civil bigwig to come up with some logical explaination.
Shane.

by shane

Because women have been, & always will be, deemed the 'weaker' sex. The fact it's a woman who bears a child is neither here nor there, in this type of stupid thinking.
It's obvious men work, but it's a 'rarity'(?) for a woman to do so, hence the classification. The whole thing stinks to the nth degree.
And also, why must a woman's age be mentioned in an article? What's that got to do with the 'price of eggs'? NOTHING, absolutely nothing, & yet it persist! Gives me the sterks!

by donjo