Old thumb wife

Feminists often make that claim that the "rule of thumb" used to mean that it was legal to beat your wife with a rod, so long as that rod were no thicker than the husband's thumb. Thus, one constantly runs into assertions like this: someone might want to be careful using "rule of thumb" in a sarcastic way. However, Christina Hoff Sommers documents how the link between the phrase "rule of thumb" and wifebeating is a feminist-inspired myth of recent vintage. The 'rule of thumb' story is an example of revisionist history that feminists happily fell into believing. It reinforces their perspective on society, and they tell it as a way of winning converts to their angry creed

It's one of the myths of women's history. Well, except that it may still be rude to use a phrase that you know will upset people. It may also be rude to assume that people who use the phrase are being rude. Isn't etiquette wonderful?

So Far. Who's the Queen of Comics? Hint: Not Wonder Woman.

In the eighteenth century a woman had few, if any, rights and was effectively a possession of her husband. The prisoner was allowed counsel; and in defence of the man it was alleged, that a husband had the legal power of chastening his wife. The judge objected to the pertinence of the allegation, because the prisoner used a faggot.