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# The “Wife Bonus” Sparks Controversy Online

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/AntIg3Xq.m3u8" -->
## Video: The “Wife Bonus” Sparks Controversy Online

[Watch (HLS stream): The “Wife Bonus” Sparks Controversy Online](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/AntIg3Xq.m3u8) (1:41)

![The “Wife Bonus” Sparks Controversy Online](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/AntIg3Xq/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-06-02. Wednesday Martin’s claim that some New York women receive a “wife bonus” from their wealthy husbands has sparked controversy online._


---

Jul 27, 2023 6:21 PM UTC

---

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## Transcript

Author and part- time anthropologist, Wednesday Martin set the Internet on fire with her New York Times op- ed on Glam SAHMs, a. k. a. the Glamorous Stay- At- Home- Moms of New York's Upper East Side. While the piece is filled Filled with shocking revelations from those unnamed women's lives. The most polarizing take away has been the infamous wife bonus. The idea that some of these wives, that their wealthy husbands were giving them a performance bonus at the end of the year. Like So many people get at work. Tell me about that. This is one of the things that they describe to me. The out- bed was in preparation for Martin's new book, " Primates of Park Avenue ".

Promise me you will not turn into one of those freaky mom- bots. I would never. The book lays out a world, even more extravagant than the stereotype suggests. Martin tells New York magazine these women spends tens of thousands on personal upkeep and school drop off is like New York fashion week. But the Op Ed has sparked widespread discussion on the wife bonus. One New York Post piece entitled I get a wife bonus and I deserve it so S STFU has gained a ton of traction online. People from across the way. People from across the way. Some have criticized the authoring, claiming the wife bonus doesn't exist.

Lisa Birnbach, the author of The Official Preppy Handbook, tweeted in regards to the book, the woman who wrote this is not a New Yorker and not very smart. But many more agreed with Martin. Criticized the idea of a wife bonus calling it sexist and degrading. A writer for The Guardian notes " Why is that a woman's husband is her 'boss' instead of her partner? And how is a 'wife bonus' different from an allowance in any way beyond the name ?" Martin's book Primates of Park Avenue hits bookshelves Tuesday.

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