Women of the household, move forward
It’s been a while since my last post, and I have a good reason for my recent lack of writing time – I have been knitting.
I have decided that I’m bringing home life back into fashion (along with the few others that have skills and techniques in this field). That means aprons, cooking, knitting, sewing – embodying the groovy homebody within.
I feel I am no less a feminist if I choose this path; I am simply becoming the self-sufficient woman. At least, I’m trying to be. Oh dear, I must confess that as I was writing this I realised that I had accidentally left the iron turned on for around three or more hours, so I’m not saying that I am going to be perfect. However I am willing to keep at it, keep it going and I will master it. I just know I will. Yes, sewing machine, I’m talking to you!
There was another incident the other night when my husband and I discovered that the smoke alarms certainly work…. twice, when I had conveniently turned the wrong stove element on, subsequently burning a hole through the element protector (that we had only just purchased), and after I had already turned the grill on and left the door closed enabling us to get a nice dose of smoke in our faces.
“Why bother,” you might ask, “when I can simply buy almost anything I could ask for in a packet, without the hassle?” Well, I say, why not? Why not embrace the skills and talents of our fore-mothers that helped keep society together for so many years. Why not learn these techniques that can help my family become self sufficient. Who says modern convenience is better then home made? Certainly not me.
Fear not, ladies of the future, a mistake here or there should not misguide you from the capabilities that we are able to reach.
I am still quite successful in baking smarty cookies:
And knitting a present for a friend and her baby:
If you have a mum, dad, grandma or grandpa alike, spend some time with her and ask her for recipes, patterns, skills or advice that you can share with future generations. Keep their worlds alive as a part of our own. If you don’t have a grandma, I suggest adopting one… contact your local aged care facility and see if anyone needs a tea buddy; I can almost guarentee you they will.
You’ll be surprised of what you can accomplish!
Image Credit: 1, (2 & 3 by Siobhan)
Awesome! I love nothing more than spending a day cooking or sewing. It’s luxurious and it’s generous. Best, people feel so loved when you give them something homemade.
This is a beautiful, honest article. I dream of the day when I have a little baby in my tummy and I’m knitting him socks and beanies!
Cute baby booties!
I think when you’ve cooked a challenging meal… even it’s not 100% how you wanted… it automatically tastes good because you slaved over it!
Feminism is the recognition of patriarchy and working to dismantle it, not a label you can stick on things you enjoy doing but have slight misgivings about.
By all means enjoy your knitting, but stop trying to tell people its revolutionary in any significant way.
I respect your input, anonymous, however I cannot understand why it cannot be revolutionary or significant in anyway? It certainly is for me to be able to learn and embrace these skills that founded the duties of women for hundreds of years and will continue to for me, personally, even in a society that is developing so fast and women are no longer confined to these roles.
Siobhan, I love the fact that you’ve chosen to embrace the life of a household woman. I do. And I absolutely applaud it. Because in teh end, isn’t that what feminism was and is all about? Ok ok, some will say it’s about equality, but what is the core essence of equality? Choice. You have equal rights to a man, you have every right to go out and have a job and career and do anything you could ever want, but your choice is to stay at home.
I work. My fiance works. We’re not equal financially in our house, because he supports me alot, but again, it’s my choice to only work part time, and spend the rest of my time making house. One day, when I’m lucky enough to have a child with my [husband], I’m going to stop work, and become a house mother.
However. I have friends, women and men alike, who are feminists. Or whatever a male feminist is called. And I am put down because I’ve chosen this path for my life. They say people like me put the feminist movement back several decades, and I challenge them to tell me how? Anonymous, while I appreciate your opinion, I would like to ask you, how is choosing to be self sufficient, or a house wife, or any other choice a woman could make not a beautiful add on to the tale of feminism and equal rights?
Would you have every woman give up the ability to make for herself, or the choice to raise her family from home, to become men in the workforce, simply because you [and others like you] say that it’s neccessary? That opinion is what sets back feminism. Because that denies a woman her basic right to choose the path of her life. It’s not for every woman, and any woman who has a successful career is to be applauded. But so are the women [and men] who choose to be homebodies, because in the end, every person is a revolution. Every person is extraordinary. And I for one applaud that.