Seriously, Patrick Dempsey? Here's What "Spread Thin" Looks Like for Women

Eyewear, Hair, Vision care, Glasses, Sunglasses, Trousers, Coat, Shirt, Outerwear, T-shirt,

(Image credit: Getty)

published 31 January 2015

One day after he and Jillian Fink announced their divorce on January 23, Patrick Dempsey said this: "It would be nice to be one-pointed and not spread so thin sometimes. I think where I'm going is to really streamline and be much more specific in balancing things a little bit better than I have in the past."

Huh. Doesn't that sound completely unlike anything you've ever heard a woman say before? And we have to point out—dun dun dun—the double standard here. What sorts of comments would a woman get if she said she wanted to "streamline?" You're being selfish. Think of the children. Think of your husband. Think of your career.

To use one guy to prove a larger point about attitudes that should really have been eradicated by now, let's make a brief comparison between Patrick Dempsey and Women Patrick Dempsey Has Worked with Before:

Patrick Dempsey: actor, racecar driver, husband, father

Nose, Lip, Eye, Hairstyle, Chin, Forehead, Eyebrow, Beard, Collar, Facial expression,

Kate Walsh, Patrick Dempsey's former Grey's Anatomy costar: actor, founder of lifestyle and beauty company Boyfriend LLC, writer, director, spokesperson, ocean conservation and reproductive health advocate

Ear, Lip, Hairstyle, Earrings, Chin, Forehead, Eyebrow, Beard, Eyelash, Collar,

Reese Witherspoon, Patrick Dempsey's Sweet Home Alabama costar: actor, producer, wife, mother, founder of a lifestyle company, board member of the Children's Defense Fund, Avon spokeswoman

Clothing, Hair, Hairstyle, Eye, Collar, Beard, Coat, Jewellery, Blazer, Facial hair,

Shonda Rhimes, the saint who gave Patrick Dempsey a job/arguably revived his career: screenwriter, director, producer, single mother, showrunner, and creator of six TV shows

Clothing, Eyewear, Hair, Glasses, Vision care, Sleeve, Sunglasses, Outerwear, Coat, Style,

Jillian Fink: celebrity makeup artist, mother, jewelry designer, sculptor

And that's not even counting the unofficial titles most woman have beyond their professional selves: sister, therapist, hairdresser, housekeeper, chef, best friend, semi-close friend, see-you-once-a-month friend, etc., etc.

You should also check out:

Ivanka Trump's New #WomenWhoWork Initiative Tackles the Myth of Work/Life Balance Head On

Is Doing It All the New "Having It All"? A Look at the Changing Face of Women's Careers

Confessions of a Kiss-Ass: How Being "Perfect" Almost Ruined My Career

Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at MarieClaire.com. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.