General Discussion

Spider Jerusalem

(21,786 posts)

2. The answer is "no"

Fri Dec 7, 2012, 06:30 AM

Dec 2012

first: "one in five women" should probably read "one in five AMERICAN women"; America is not the world, American women are not the only feminists. Second: One can walk and chew gum at the same time. It's possible to be a feminist and enjoy cooking, or fashion, or interior design, or stereotypically "feminine" interests; humans are complex, and these aren't necessarily mutually exclusive things. And the pervasive influence of culture can't really be discounted. Given that cultural attitudes towards women encourage things like dieting and attractiveness these are things that are going to be to some extent internalised by many women, the same way that, thanks to cultural ideas of masculinity, many men have a sort of internalised homophobia (this is what Freud called the "superego&quot .

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Is it true? "How Pinterest Is Killing Feminism" [View all] FrodosPet Dec 2012 OP

feminism isn't about whether you knit or not. HiPointDem Dec 2012 #1

Indeed. I am partial to crocheting and baking. AND I am a fire-breathing feminist. kestrel91316 Dec 2012 #102

The answer is "no" Spider Jerusalem Dec 2012 #2

+1 ismnotwasm Dec 2012 #21

We're still in the throes of a long national discussion on what it means to be a woman XemaSab Dec 2012 #3

I like your post. dballance Dec 2012 #89

There's also the extent to which DIY is an antidote to extreme consumerism and waste... antigone382 Dec 2012 #105

Of course not. Being a feminist is about OKNancy Dec 2012 #4

That's what I want to think as well FrodosPet Dec 2012 #7

RadFem, eh? obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #28

Feministe, Rage Against The Manchine and I Blame The Patriarchy, amongst others FrodosPet Dec 2012 #100

Being a feminist, to me, means that women are free to make Arkansas Granny Dec 2012 #5

Feminism is alive and well on Pinterest. Tanuki Dec 2012 #6

Idiotic ideas.. sendero Dec 2012 #8

+10 RC Dec 2012 #56

^^this n/t TroglodyteScholar Dec 2012 #66

what a fucking piece of trash of an article cali Dec 2012 #9

+1 Matariki Dec 2012 #86

My mom does an after school "Wings" classes... Knitting class is one of her most glowing Dec 2012 #10

And the skills here are equal opportunity Tsiyu Dec 2012 #76

I don't have a daughter, so I didn't include that genera in the wishing for a more glowing Dec 2012 #104

Feminism that doesn't acknowledge just resource use is not true feminism. antigone382 Dec 2012 #106

You are correct but how "not sexy" Tsiyu Dec 2012 #117

I like Pinterest clyrc Dec 2012 #11

There are good things about some gender roles... Lightbulb_on Dec 2012 #12

No, there are NO good things about "gender roles" obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #29

Fail, fail, and fail again. MadrasT Dec 2012 #37

Gender "roles" are NOT good. NYC Liberal Dec 2012 #45

did you set your wife straight? we can only hope. wimmins seabeyond Dec 2012 #54

About what? Lightbulb_on Dec 2012 #60

Inferred and extrapolated, rather than "observed", I would think... LanternWaste Dec 2012 #82

Definitely observed... Lightbulb_on Dec 2012 #87

Meh. Every person, male and female, should be able to pursue hifiguy Dec 2012 #65

oh, please Tsiyu Dec 2012 #67

The women in my family, if I were to die... Lightbulb_on Dec 2012 #77

Here's your chance Tsiyu Dec 2012 #92

You seem all ready to be outraged so I'll try not to burst your bubble terribly... Lightbulb_on Dec 2012 #109

I can't think of anyone who would disagree Tsiyu Dec 2012 #115

My father's family grew up learning to do "male" and "female" things Nikia Dec 2012 #90

My mom always worked from the time I was in school. hifiguy Dec 2012 #95

"keeping them in place" Lex Dec 2012 #71

Surely a woman can be a feminist and also enjoy baking, knitting and decorating? Nye Bevan Dec 2012 #13

The funny thing is, lots of men get into those "female" activities, too. GoCubsGo Dec 2012 #22

Exactly. Matariki Dec 2012 #83

Eh gollygee Dec 2012 #14

Let me give it a generous read alcibiades_mystery Dec 2012 #15

I hear a lot of people (here and elsewhere) MadrasT Dec 2012 #38

"do we work on the self or on society" Tsiyu Dec 2012 #98

Ridiculous...is anyone going to argue that Anna Wintour isn't the epitome of feminism? dkf Dec 2012 #16

This is good: "Being able to create beautiful things is a source of power, not weakness." Zorra Dec 2012 #27

I think people forget that we don't have to be "on" all the time. LisaLynne Dec 2012 #17

These feminist-oriented sites don't help themselves in this matter. GoCubsGo Dec 2012 #18

Most of us can walk and chew gum at the same time lunatica Dec 2012 #19

Best answer yet! GoneOffShore Dec 2012 #23

Isn't suggesting that traditionally "feminine" interests are inherently bad kind of misogynistic smokey nj Dec 2012 #20

It isn't suggesting they are "bad" gollygee Dec 2012 #24

My question was written in reference to the OP's friend feeling attacked because of her interests smokey nj Dec 2012 #41

Yes. yardwork Dec 2012 #55

If a man were suddenly interested in all these things Shankapotomus Dec 2012 #25

What in the world are you talking about obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #31

Wow, where did you get that? Shankapotomus Dec 2012 #35

"These feminists who think acting more like men is the answer mystify me." sufrommich Dec 2012 #34

Good to know! Shankapotomus Dec 2012 #36

I would say any woman who ascribes behavior that sufrommich Dec 2012 #40

I've seen a couple libodem Dec 2012 #57

It's not feminists thinking like that get the red out Dec 2012 #44

no -- that is just ridiculous obamanut2012 Dec 2012 #26

Dumb article. Starry Messenger Dec 2012 #30

Crap. Now I'm about to head over to BuzzFeed homepage and lose 3 hrs of my life. JaneyVee Dec 2012 #32

LOL wtmusic Dec 2012 #59

Well, I'm pretty sure I'm a feminist and I've been on Pinterest sufrommich Dec 2012 #33

I work in marketing at a corporation, and one of the social media sites we use is pinterest. Proles Dec 2012 #39

No it is not "biological". "Genders" do not have interests. MadrasT Dec 2012 #46

are you serious? liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #62

You of course have objective and valid examples not needing any additional qualifiers, yes? LanternWaste Dec 2012 #84

I'm not exactly clear what you're trying to say, but to the other posters, yes I'm serious. Proles Dec 2012 #111

Can I say... Xyzse Dec 2012 #42

Turns out, women like the same stuff on the internet TwilightGardener Dec 2012 #43

"Tradition" is non-individual get the red out Dec 2012 #47

all the knitters I know are political too. the devaluation of design and crafts is because of bettyellen Dec 2012 #48

What a very good point union_maid Dec 2012 #52

just like when they say women "gravitate towards low paying jobs" like teaching and never bettyellen Dec 2012 #63

Pinterest is electronic hoarding Horse with no Name Dec 2012 #49

"Pinterest is electronic hoarding" sufrommich Dec 2012 #75

Oh Jesus Christ... Do people actually sit around and try to twist things into controversy? Comrade_McKenzie Dec 2012 #50

+1 /nt Proles Dec 2012 #113

stupid all around. why in the world would your smart friend think no knitting for feminist? nt seabeyond Dec 2012 #51

I thought an element of radical feminism was that it's the devaluation DirkGently Dec 2012 #53

the terms traditional feminine and feminism are misleading liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #58

I think that's what the word "traditional" is meant to say gollygee Dec 2012 #68

4 year olds in Head Start Class HockeyMom Dec 2012 #61

My daughter (3) was just yesterday told by a 4-year-old boy gollygee Dec 2012 #69

Maybe the difference is POOR KIDS HockeyMom Dec 2012 #99

LOL, where is this "male dominated" site filled w/ "heavy heady stuff like economic and social bettyellen Dec 2012 #64

For the life of me, I still have no idea what Pintrest is about... Taverner Dec 2012 #70

Not difficult. It's a bulletin board online. Lex Dec 2012 #72

How is it different than any other BB? Taverner Dec 2012 #74

It's like if you had a bunch of magazines you were going through gollygee Dec 2012 #78

Ahhhh OK that makes sense Taverner Dec 2012 #79

It's not all stock photos. It's the photo on the page you "tack" Lex Dec 2012 #91

Many women enjoy traditionally feminine activities.... cbdo2007 Dec 2012 #73

I think the proper question is why do we have to label... dballance Dec 2012 #80

This is the stupidest article on women's issues I've seen in a long time Matariki Dec 2012 #81

I totally agree. tallahasseedem Dec 2012 #97

Actually, I think 'feminism' has freed men to persue whatever interests them Matariki Dec 2012 #85

Being a feminist means recognising that cooking, etc. isn't a "feminine" interest. wickerwoman Dec 2012 #88

The point of feminism is not to end all knitting and baking LadyHawkAZ Dec 2012 #93

+1000 Matariki Dec 2012 #110

I object to the entire notion that... Kalidurga Dec 2012 #94

Well, shit, I just made a bow for the Christmas wreath on my front door... WorseBeforeBetter Dec 2012 #96

what a bunch of fucking hogwash Skittles Dec 2012 #101

People should feel OK to follow their interests regardless of stereotypes. Jackpine Radical Dec 2012 #103

Newsflash, a lot of women geniunely LIKE cooking, fashion, home decor and fitness. phleshdef Dec 2012 #107

My girlfriend does that Pininterest thing, and it doesn't look much different to me than Facebook. apocalypsehow Dec 2012 #108

Does Field & Stream stereotype men and corner them into traditional, non-parenting type roles? Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #112

Ellen Degeneres likes fashion, home decor, does Cover Girl ads, and had cosmetic surgery. Honeycombe8 Dec 2012 #114

Really, is this not a real reach? Safetykitten Dec 2012 #116