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A Feminist Knitting Manifesto Says So
Knitting is an activity embraced by many women, yet, it is not unusual to hear that this hobby is frowned upon by feminists.
The main reason? Knitting is seen as an activity that was traditionally undertaken by women, so completely anti-feminist. But are things exactly how they look? A knitting manifesto written by a reputable feminist begs to differ.
The “Stitch ‘n Bitch: The Knitter’s Handbook”, is written by Debbie Stroller, the founder of BUST magazine. It is the document you may just want to read if you want to justify your new found passion in front of your feminist friends.
Debbie Stroller is not your average third wave feminist, either. Besides founding and contributing to the feminist publication mentioned above, she also has a Ph.D. in women’s psychology, obtained at Yale.
Wow, now that is a passionate knitter with a stellar educational background!
Mind you, the author is not focused on old school knitting. Nothing anywhere near to that can be found in her knitting manifesto.
Instead, she offers modern day women a way to combine knitting and their love for it, on one hand, with their new way of living. What Debbie Stroller is talking about is feminist knitting practices, which mean “active and purposeful knitting projects used in the spirit of feminist goals.”
Knitting is, after all, hard work and it should not be looked down on. Debbie Stroller is particularly impressed with color knitting, which every knitter knows that it can be extremely difficult.
Plus, knitting has not been and it is not, a strictly feminine activity. Challenging gender roles is the essence of feminism, and, women should not be constrained to like certain activities based on some social construct.
In case you are a feminist with an innate itch to grab your needles, read Debbie Stroller’s knitting manifesto and put your mind at ease. Knitting is as much a feminist activity, as anything else feminists do.
Debbi Stroller’s books can be bought on Amazon:
You realize this book is 12 years old, right?