Happy St Patty's Day... Don't forget to wear green :)

For an awesome post about the day check out Multiculturalism for Steampunk



:)

Feminism Then and Now...

Upon the eve of the centennial of the International Womens Day I feel the urge to present a discourse upon the status of Feminism in the earlier eras as well as in the present day.

Excerpted from The Canadian Home Cook Book original edition 1877 (reprinted 1970)

Word of grace to woman; word that makes her the earthly providence of her family, that wins gratitude and attachment from those at home, and a good report of those that are without. Success in housekeeping adds credit to the woman of intellect, and lustre to a woman's accomplishments. (page nine, this is the very start)

Housekeeping is an exact science, and works like the multiplication table if only one has learned it. But if one is shakey in figures, how is she ever to keep accounts? There is no chance about housekeeping. (page 10)

This labour does not only mean keeping things clean, and having plenty to eat. It goes from the outside of the house to the inside of the traveling-bags of those who leave it. The mistress must observe the outside of her house regularly; on Saturday is the most convenient time to see if window-blinds need washing, if the catches are in repair, if the shades inside hang straight, and the curtains drape well, if the walk, steps and piazzas are neat, and the door knobs and pain in order, making a note of every want and having it attended to at once. Dexterity with tools is very convenient to any one and I have known accomplished women who would set a pane of glass, put on a door knob, and hang a gate in the best of style. One of the valued contributors to the New York Press is a woman who reads Horace in Latin, and Bastiat's political economy, makes point-lace and embroiders beautifully, who at the gold mines with her husband built the chimney to her house, and finished most of the interior with her own hands. (page 11-12)

Never be satisfied with any but the nicest cooking, with a variety enough to make your table a delight as well as a necessity. And don't let anybody lay it to you that you are pampering your family, and devoting yourself to a low sphere of action. You are doing no such thing, but are giving them strong active bodies, steady nerves and tempers, and clear brains to meet their work with. By just so much as you neglect your part of the work, they will fail in theirs. You are the engineer to feed the fires, and keep the wheels oiled, and the whole family system depends on you. Don't dare to call such work low. There is a great work to be done in Canadian kitchens. (page 16)

I have much respect for our fore-sisters in their diligent fight to provide us personhood and the vote, and pursuing equality with men. Obviously these women 134 years ago had their sights set not just on a beautifully set table but upon accomplishing tasks most wouldn't have attributed to a woman of this era let alone that one, I don't know many women who have set their own chimney.

I have some trouble with a turn taken somewhere between then and now whereupon some women have mistaken equality with men for becoming copies of men. Today feminism seems to mean that ALL women may be freed from the bonds of the home to allow them to pursue their career. Now in the modern era we can "have it all"... well, all the work anyways.

The modern married woman and mother is under more pressure and has more expectations on her time than ever before in history. We must go to work, keep our households running, care for the children and feed the family. Not only that but our jobs must be 'meaningful careers'. Our houses must be huge and immaculate, cleaned only with the most environmentally friendly cleaners, and decor styles updated seasonally. Children must be in different extra curricular activities every night of the week, they must be fed the finest of home made lunches with nutritionally balanced food which should never include sugar, nuts, shellfish, dairy or other allergens. Family suppers must always be together around a table and include a variety of interesting and beautiful all organic nutrition. All this accomplished while also maintaining a seasonally updated wardrobe containing no item larger than a size 6 and the face of a 20 year old.

BAH, if this is the modern woman then I want none of it... I'd prefer to build my own home with my own hands, and keep it that way too. I would much prefer to be the home engineer and keep the wheels oiled.

Hello there!

Hi there!  So, I'm going to give the blog thing a try... I'm full of ideas and opinions but less full of time for expression so I don't know where this will go, but why not give it a try :)   I enjoy figuring out how to do things, making things and making things happen.  I'm an artist a crafter and a kickboxer and lover of all things steampunk.  The steampunk ideal of creativity and inventiveness eschewing mass production as one of the keys to sustainability is something I'd like to explore.  Collaborative consumption and the modern meaning of feminism... interesting things to consider too.  I'm sure the Royal Society has plenty to say about these things too, so prop your parasol beside the tea cart and spread a scone with marmalade while we chat about the goings on of steampunk and world alike.