Jump to content
IGNORED

The DIY Movement and Gender


GeoBQn

Recommended Posts

Jezebel had an interesting article yesterday on women embracing DIY and the "new domesticity." It brings up a lot of issues: how people can unconsciously follow traditional gender roles that they consciously disagree with, how women who found DIY-based home businesses are not considered real entrepreneurs, and the implications of so many young women turning to DIY businesses because they are unable to find a conventional job in this economy. There's a new book out on the subject called Homeward Bound: Why Women Are Embracing the New Domesticity by Emily Matchar.

http://jezebel.com/why-are-women-diy-en ... -494363393

A lot of the fundie bloggers we follow have DIY businesses of various kinds, either by making crafts and food or through publishing e-books. I was thinking about their role in this movement. I imagine they don't consider these businesses to be "real jobs"--they are just being a Proverbs 31 woman, finding a way to be productive while the husband actually provides for the family. Or they consider these things to be "ministries," not businesses. What are the differences between these fundie women and the secular women who start their own businesses in sewing, soap-making, and homemade preserves?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a perfect timing for your post, GeoBQN. I constantly stumble upon organizing/design/DIY blogs with beautiful photography, cute ideas, and the mandatory mention of God in the About Me section and a general feeling of fundie-ness.

Some of these bloggers are incredibly handy with power tools. I would make the distinction between the quilting/soap making/crocheting and general crafting, and power-tool heavy DIY jobs. The first are traditional little-house-on-the-prairie crafts, mixed in with some counter-culture of rejecting standard store-bought stuff and an outlet to creativity.

The hard-core carpentry and home improvements, I guess, are another outlet of creativity, another way of wielding control over the entire house, not being dependent on a man to finally fix that closet shelf for you, and a bragging right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember reading a few years back a major power tool manufacture was considering a line specifically designed for women. They stated there was an increase in women shopping at places such as Home Depot and Lowes and they wanted to cater more to women. The design element change was to make the grips and other items more friendly for women's smaller hands. When I was reading the piecce I thought good because I have small hands even for a woman, my hands I swear are about the size of an average 10 year olds. Plus I got told once I have hitch hiker thumbs. This caused me to go WTF and then to look intensely at my thumbs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember reading a few years back a major power tool manufacture was considering a line specifically designed for women. They stated there was an increase in women shopping at places such as Home Depot and Lowes and they wanted to cater more to women. The design element change was to make the grips and other items more friendly for women's smaller hands. When I was reading the piecce I thought good because I have small hands even for a woman, my hands I swear are about the size of an average 10 year olds. Plus I got told once I have hitch hiker thumbs. This caused me to go WTF and then to look intensely at my thumbs.

That would be awesome. My drill is too large for my tiny hands and it causes my palms to bruise after heavy use.

For me I got into carpentry from always helping my dad growing up. As I've gotten older I see pottery barn prices and realize I can make things at a fraction of the cost. I also enjoy it. It makes me feel close to my dad. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just my personal opinion, but I hope they don't make the women's tools pink.

I am sure they will, because after all how else would women figure out they are for them. :roll:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember reading a few years back a major power tool manufacture was considering a line specifically designed for women. They stated there was an increase in women shopping at places such as Home Depot and Lowes and they wanted to cater more to women. The design element change was to make the grips and other items more friendly for women's smaller hands. When I was reading the piecce I thought good because I have small hands even for a woman, my hands I swear are about the size of an average 10 year olds. Plus I got told once I have hitch hiker thumbs. This caused me to go WTF and then to look intensely at my thumbs.

Hitchhiker's thumb is a name for a genetic trait. We studied it in my bio class last year. :) http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-hitchhikers-thumb.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sure they will, because after all how else would women figure out they are for them. :roll:

I also expect them to make a separate line of flimsier, less heavy-duty tools for women (i.e. people with small hands, but you know they'll be in pastel colours) instead of just making their regular tools easier for everyone to manipulate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hitchhiker's thumb is a name for a genetic trait. We studied it in my bio class last year. :) http://www.wisegeek.org/what-is-hitchhikers-thumb.htm

http://udel.edu/~mcdonald/myththumb.html

According to this website, both hitchhiker's thumb and tongue rolling are being used in classrooms as simple examples despite the evidence that they are more complicated than a single gene.

I thought it was interesting anyway. I love examples of wrong or at least misleading things I was taught in elementary school. :mrgreen:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.