Author Henkin: “My Wife Is Not a JAP”

Josh Henkin, guest-blogging on Jewess about his new book Matrimony:

I dated non-Jews over the years, but most of my serious relationships were with Jewish women, and the woman I married is Jewish. She fits none of the stereotypes of the Jewish woman—she’s not a Jewish American Princess, nor is she pushy or overbearing—stereotypes that, in any case, I think they are unfair or, at the very least, aren’t examined critically enough.

Am I the only one to find this offensive? If he married a Pole, would he need to mention that she was intelligent, or that his Asian wife was not docile? He doesn’t need to bring his wife into the picture. As my mother would say, “Comparisons are odious.”

By praising his wife in this way, he subtly condones intermarriage (as he apparently does in the book). Because there probably aren’t enough non-pushy, non-JAPpy, non-overbearing Jewish women to go around for discerning Jewish men like himself.

Here’s the comment I left:

Interesting that Henkin needs to prove that while he preferred to marry a Jewess, he would never have married a “stereotypical” Jewish woman. The qualifying statements only make it worse. Sign me,
Proud to be a pushy, overbearing, brunette JAP.

Update: Jewess responded here, but so far no word from Henkin.

Comments

  1. Ugh, I found his remarks very offensive too! Why the need to even mention those silly stereotypes?
    I liked your comment 🙂

  2. I agree with you. Now if his wife were from the 5 Towns . . . just kidding. After all, I live here myself.