Posted by anthrogirl on 2006-02-10 07:28:11
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I actually think these discussions often get bogged down in stereotypes.
I think that's a really, really good observation.
The feminists I know, for instance, were really really upset about the passing of Mrs. King, more so than the passing of Betty Friedan, as was I.* So I was really surprised to learn from this thread that a lot of feminists weren't speaking out about it. But then I realized that it also has to do with who the press -- even the non-mainstream press -- is going to go to. I think it was a natural choice for every major news outlet to get quotes from high-profile feminists following the death of Betty Friedan, and not as natural a choice for them to get quotes from feminists following the death of Coretta Scott King. And it's probably true as well, unfortunately, that those same feminists who weren't contacted by the press probably didn't go out of their way to get into the news.
So I think stereotypes have a lot of complicated origins, and tend to propagate themselves too.
And I'm not denying that feminism in its early days involved a lot of racism and classism. And certainly there are still some people who subscribe to feminist beliefs that descend from those very, very flawed feminisms. But since I don't find those forms of feminism to be liberatory or interesting or helpful or, well, feminist, I wouldn't use those forms of feminism to characterize all feminist thought.
* And Soapandwater, I take your point about not comparing activists. But I never read The Feminine Mystique, and despite pursuing an advanced degree in feminist scholarship I don't tend to use work that cites Friedan or even locates the origins of feminism in her work. But I have lived for a long time in Atlanta, a city that really has been affected in profound ways by the life's work of the Rev. and Mrs. King, and spent a lot of time at the King Center, so their work has had more meaning in my life.The truth is, we don't know what Naomi Wolf thinks of King's death, because so far as I can tell, she hasn't been asked. But at the same time I have a funny feeling that she may not have bothered to say, either. That's what concerns me.
xuli, I think women who are there working in the vineyards may be very upset. But when I told my students about her, they just sort of shrugged. A few less shrugged over Betty Friedan, but there was not much reaction about her either. What's disturbing about King is that even the little liberal press that is left didn't connect the dots, as far as I can tell here in New York, which is a major media center.
But as for 'in the early days'- I'm sorry, but I don't see many shoutouts to poor women now, either. I don't see class being adressed in any appreciable way. I haven't seen proominent Third Wavers write about racism and race with the view that some people don't have the same needs as others. Again, if I was some cranky crunchy feminist spinster, I might say, 'hmm, maybe I don't know fuck-all about the modern world'. But I'm seeing students on a daily basis who aren't interested in feminism, don't know anything about modern feminism, don't feel liberated, and aren't posing for Girls Gone Wild or the Suicide Girls Calendar. And I still say that an objective glance shows that most of the women doing the writing, photographing, and all of that are white and come from middle class families, and have the attitudes that go along with that profile for the most part. That's not a stereotype. That's a walk through the bookstore. Do I think it might change? Yeah, eventually. But I'm not holding my breath right now.
Posted by siouxsie_homemaker on 2004-08-20 19:52:04
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1. how did you learn to knit? how old were you then and old are you now?
I learned to knit about 9 months ago. I am 24, and neither my mother or my grandmother are knitters or even into any kinds of crafts.
2. knitting = nesting? is your knitting a way of getting back to simpler times?
Sort of. I am really into learning how to do basic things for myself instead of having to depend on our consumer culture to feed and clothe me. I also think that because of this heavy consumerism, traditional women's crafts are dying out. I think this is terrible, and that women need to reclaim them and keep them going for future generations.
I also think knitting is a wonderful outlet for artistic expression, for rejecting cookie-cutter pre-made clothes, and as a fun way to pass the time.
It's sad that unless you're very resourceful, that it can actually be more expensive to make things for yourself than it is to buy all your clothes at chain stores. The fact that these companies employ children and adults for pennies an hour to make their clothing and products is sickening, and our finacial dependence on it is put upon us and is also self-created. I would rather scrape-up some yarn and needles to make myself my own blankets and sweaters and hats so I don't have to buy sweat-shop made products.
3. in regards to the current resurgence in knitting, when do you think it started and why?
I think part of it is the idealic "new domesticity", and part of it is sort of the post-riot grrrl DIY movement. Third wave feminism sort of open the gates for girls to get into makeing things for themselves and let them do "girlie" things and let them know that it was okay.
4. do you have a crafty group that you meet with? how often? why do you dig it?
I go to a knitting group at a local bar twice a month, and I helped organize a ladies social group that meets once a motnh and we do crafts and have a feminist book club. I love love love it. Not only is it fun, but it gives me a great feeling of community and a wonderful place to teach others and learn new skills.
5. where do you go online to discuss/learn/share your craftiness? how do these sites inspire you in ways that real life conversations don't?
I go on this site, and the craftster site. I find that there's a bigger world wide community that's on the net. it's neat. I love real life groups and on-line groups.
6. is there a subversive element to knitting? a punk rock element? or simply a DIY smugness?
For me, doing crafts felt very subversive in a way. My mother is a total tomboy, and growing up I never learned to sew or cook. I had to teach myself everything when I got older. I feel like I kind of missed out a bit because of this.
I also feel that durring the heyday of 2nd wave feminism (60's-80's) that women were focused on breaking out of traditional women's gender roles in order to assert their idependence and gain more civil rights for themselves. They did wonders for women, and I don't want to trash on them in the least, ebcause I highly repect those women, but I don't totally agree with how they went about things. Unfortunately, in this quest of breaking out of their bonds, I think it went a bit too far in rejecting everything classically "feminine".
I am all for re-claiming femininity and finding power in it, not just opression. Make-up, heels, knitting, sewing, baking, can all be wonderfully empowering and fun for women.
I think there's been more of a focus in modern feminism is accepting a variety of women and lifestyles.
In rejecting baking and sewing and going for ready made items, we've becomes horribly dependent on consumerism to take care of us. It's in no way liberating to me.
7. why do you knit?
It's sort of meditative, it gets my creative juices flowing, and it's wonderfully useful.
8. what other crafty things do you do besides knitting?
I make rugs and quilts out of recycled and new fabric.
I want to learn to make toys, improve my knitting and sewing skills, and learn to spin yarn.
I also can't wait to have some land in order to grow my own produce.
9. the future of knitting- is there one or are we just kidding ourselves?
I think their absolutely is a furture to knitting. We can't rely on our country to forever be the rich super power that it is. Once day Americans will need to be more self-sufficient and rescourceful.
Also, I think that knitting is univerally appealing to all generations.
10. do you prefer to knit alone or with other people? why?
Either is wonderful.
11. true or false: can craft save us all? (elaboration here would be nice, but not necessary.)
Certainly. Because crafts aren't just silly instructions on how to decoupage everything, or make decorative items alone. Crafts are making things that our the foundations of our daily lives.
