I think we all know that this hot new show, MAD MEN, is VERY SEXIST.  It also shows how much CHILD ABUSE was tolerated in the sixties.  Both the women and the children were treated bad. When January Jones smokes and drinks while pregnant, talks roughly to her children, pits the children against their dad, I think, YEP, that is HOW it Was.  Do we ever want to go there?  Of course not.  Certainly there are lots of persons who can remember that few respected children and treated them the way they SHOULD HAVE.  Many a kid got the licking of their life for something insignificant.  Did they turn out right?  Well, they  had their wings clipped, like I did.  I may have had more courage with more love and less whippings.  They don't actually whip the kids, though, but they are treated as if they are a nuisance, as if they interfer with the importance of thier star quality parents.  People we love to hate at times. What I like about the SEXISM is that it is  EXPLAINED:  Don Draper: "You are either a Jackie-0 or you are a Marilyn Monroe type" and if you are neither of those, then you are a loser, or maybe something new like say:  A PIONEER FEMINIST, like Peggy.  Peggy is great because she is finding her way.  Do you remember when she tells her Secretary:  I'm not afraid, but I think you are. "  She seems to genuinely understand how dogged her secretary feels (even by her, Peggy that is) and feels a little tinge of remorse.  Peggy is dogged by everybody.  But she is promoted by Draper.  He knows SHE IS HIS BEST MAN, and of course, he doesn't know how to treat her as an equal or as a women. I think his character will have to uindergo some major changes: maybe he will have a nervous breakdown and come out of it  into the seventies?  Peggy is my girl because  she is BRAVE.  Remember when she gives her child away?She keeps on working at Sterling Cooper, getting her own office, trying pot with the boys, even going to the strip club, she handled that the way most of us who hate them would.  Her Views of what women want on this show are closer to what we would want for them, what we as women would have wanted for our mothers, perhaps or grandmothers to have.  We did not want them to endure such humilation.  But when you see the show, you probably say to yourself, Wow, I think this is what it was like.  But don't you know in your heart of hearts that it was probably worse than this?  Peggy probably would not have been hired and promoted in the real world!  There were hotsie-totsies Secretaries like JOAN, the redhead "Psydo-Marilyn" who I predict is about to figure out she is tired of fitting the role of Psydo-Marilyn, so DOES NOT ASK for her job back when her newlywed husband does not get the hospital residency!  This is a good show because it is disturbing, amusing, sexual and dangerous, I don't like to miss it!   The secretary who runs the English Guy over with the John Deer Tractor is Terribly Stereotyped as the Office IDIOT,  Yes, and that it is shameful to watch.  It is irritating.  But do you recall the episode when DON DRAPER tells her she is inadequate, that she doesn't fit, and has her demoted?  She cries, whimpers, and we are supposed to think: damn she is weak.  Well, I think I was a bit pissed off they put her on the tractor.  HOWEVER IN THE BIG KARMA PIC:  She gets back at them by chopping off that guys foot (and he loses his job:  that would not work today: he would be so much richer, right?  Okay, so I like it.  It's more important to THINK than to do many other things, and I am glad thisshow does provokes thinking.  I AM sure the writers whole intention is to portray how it was.  Amazingly, it is pretty accurate, plus a dosage of "Extra Harsh".  My daughters may not have known what the sixties were lik, but I did.   The show does give this time of history JUSTICE, really.  I was there.  I remembered why I wanted to have those stiletos now.  They were noisy, (everyone noticed you, and they were dangerous.  The metal heel could put an eye out!)  Besides also screaming I am here, they said what common decency and censorship of the times never could:  F.///Me Baby!  Even as a 7 year old fancy little princess I knew women could get their way by being:  Marilyn.  Or you could scream,and get your way,  which worked for my mother.  If we learn anything from this show, it is to be OURSELVES, that time has allowed for us to be ourselves, and we must CONTINUALLY FIGHT for THAT, Whatever  we are and feel and know to be authentic.  Susan Lamagna, San Francisco

It's reflective of the time period of the show.  We can't pretend the past didn't happen.

It is just being true to the time period, sexism was prominant in that time, unfortuantely. To show it any differently would be conflicting, and destroying the credibilty and authenticity of the show.

The show only depicts how things were, in the late '50's and early 60's.. If the show didn't do that it wouldn't be Mad Men...

Seems like almost everybody disagrees on this. Who created this stupid Spark Word? The winning argument has been made repeatedly. 'Nuff said.

Someone needs to delete this, already. It's not even a hot topic, and it's hardly debatable. Who even created this? Oi!

It's a period piece which is likely to reflect the timeline of emerging female rights and fight against sexism as it goes on.  You can't judge a show like this on such a topic until it's all over.  I find this debate neither here nor there.  I guarantee the writers have no goal of promoting sexism.

A solid reminder for our daughters and granddaughters about how things used to be and a consciousness raising tool about the sexism that STILL pervades our culture and society.

It's JUST a t.v. show. Calm the eff down!

It's not from the mind of some sexist person that people should be treated this way.

THIS is how the fifties and sixties WERE for the most part.

Don't get all hot and bothered if shows based on pre-womens-rights come out.

Get a hobby. (No, picking arguments in pointless subjects is NOT a hobby)

Thanks for understanding

Shut UP Susan Lamagna, you have no life!

OMG delete, please. yes. now. this is almost the dumbest, and one-sided argument i've ever seen.

f thi shit