Chloe Sexton runs a bakery called BluffCakes based out of Memphis, Tennessee.
She has a well-known social media presence with over 16k followers to promote her business.
In addition to running BluffCakes, she has another full-time job as a mother of two kids—6-month-old Theodore and 7-year-old Mason.
When her husband was hailed a hero after pitching in to help with her daily routine when he had some time off, Sexton aired out her grievances over the phenomenon of "Daddy Privilege."
"Daddy Privilege" is when husbands are lauded for doing normal work that is expected of parents.
"I've got a fun little story about 'daddy privilege.' You all know if you've been following me for a while that I'm a business owner," she said in a TikTok video.
@chloebluffcakes It’s the daddy hero treatment for me 🙃
Before going any further, she wanted to set the record straight about their respective work responsibilities.
"My husband has a job. I have a business, my husband has a job. Could not make that any clearer, right? Well, my bakery requires that we buy certain wholesale ingredients at this place called Restaurant Depot every week."
"You've seen me do videos of it before where I'm, like, wearing him (Theodore) or was massively pregnant buying 400 pounds of flour and 100 pounds of butter, and that's a weekly thing. The list goes on and on, like—it's a lot."
Sexton then explained a recent situation that forced her to call out her husband's Daddy Privilege.
"So, last week, on the day I usually do it, my husband had the day off and he decided to go do it for me, but he also had the baby that day. When I tell you, the way that this man was treated like a hero—A HERO."
"Mind you, those same people see me there every single week. I was recognized by one of the cashiers. She's like, 'Hey, do you have a TikTok?' 'Yeah, yeah I do...'"
"I'm strapped up with a baby or seven months pregnant, hauling 100-pound bags at a time of flour in the back of my Subaru," she said, before comparing the public perceptions between her and her husband.
"Meanwhile, I'm getting a whole lotta...NOTHING TO SEE HERE. Just a woman doing woman things, busting her ass."
"But my husband, my husband wears the baby and he goes to Restaurant Depot for mommy's business and it's, 'Oh my god, look at you! Oh my god, you work so hard.'"
"He [my husband] said, 'Honestly, it was a little bit embarrassing.' Somebody walked past him and said, 'Oh my god, that's a whole-ass baby!'"
She concluded the video with:
"Yeah, it's his... He's literally not a hero. He's just a father, just a parent, doing the same sh*t I do every week."
The sexist scenario was all-too-familiar for these viewers.
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
Others suggested dads shouldn't be the only ones getting the recognition they deserve.
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
One father even concurred.
@chloebluffcakes/TikTok
Sexton told Buzzfeed News what her typical day-to-day is as a mom and business owner.
"Wake at 6:45 a.m., prepare both children, drive to school, wait in the car rider line, drive home, get ready for a day of baking while taking care of the baby, hand him to my childcare for the day."
"Head to my local wholesale source for ingredients, load up hundreds of pounds of butter, sugar, flour, etc., unload, organize, and inventory the ingredients at our commercial kitchen, then spend the following hours producing thousands of giant cookies, clean said commercial kitchen and all hardware and dishes (all while wearing evie pumps off and on)."
But just because her day at the office is over, it doesn't mean her day is done.
She continued listing other things that need to be taken care of before she gets to lie down.
"Get the baby from my childcare and the 7-year-old from school, get started on homework, answer emails, care for the baby, cook dinner, manage both bedtimes for the kids, and maybe do some housework before falling into the couch."
Sexton said that "Daddy Privilege" was "that subtle upper hand men side-step into as parents that allow them to gain praise for simply...being a parent."
She injected some sarcasm with the following examples.
"You fed the baby? What a great dad! You held the baby while mommy bathed? So considerate of you! You picked up something for dinner? What would your family do without you?!"
"It's all the little ways mothers do exactly what the world expects of them without a second thought and then watch fathers get praised for simply showing up," said Chloe.
"Women carry equal and, in some cases, majority breadwinner weight these days and still are deemed less worthy of parental praise somehow. I am a feminist to my core and will always fight for what is equal and just — today that means giving EVERY parent the same amount of attention."
"Every parent deserves to know that they are seen and appreciated."
To be clear, Sexton wasn't necessarily discouraging admiration towards dads.
"By all means, cheer on that dad you see struggling to hip-hold a baby while opening the freezer door in the grocery store," she said, adding, "but also express that same praise and helpful hand to the mother — who might take his place six days a week."
"Mothers may not need praise, but they sure as hell deserve it."
@islamoradalover/Bluesky
@hillbillybluedog/Bluesky
