Comments on: What’s Wrong with Etsy…? http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/ amigurumi tips, techniques and patterns for fun, cute crochet projects Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:59:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Amy http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-148 Amy Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:06:14 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-148 @casey Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time to post such a thoughtful response, even if our opinions diverge. The main point of my post was that I don't think Etsy is "telling tall tales." Sure, there are some "quit your day job" features, but I see Etsy as a seller-positive marketplace that is gender-neutral. The conflation of Etsy (or handmade goods in general) with "women's work" is what irks me. Furthermore, I think that articles like this are essentially mommy-baiting: a way to get women to resent each other when the American cultural landscape is filled with false choices for working people, (particularly those with children) whether self-employed or otherwise. @casey Thank you for your comment. I appreciate you taking the time to post such a thoughtful response, even if our opinions diverge. The main point of my post was that I don’t think Etsy is “telling tall tales.” Sure, there are some “quit your day job” features, but I see Etsy as a seller-positive marketplace that is gender-neutral. The conflation of Etsy (or handmade goods in general) with “women’s work” is what irks me. Furthermore, I think that articles like this are essentially mommy-baiting: a way to get women to resent each other when the American cultural landscape is filled with false choices for working people, (particularly those with children) whether self-employed or otherwise.

]]> By: casey http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-147 casey Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:16:42 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-147 I think you are reading too much into what she was saying. Did you not read the last 2 paragraphs of the article? " As someone who’s handy with a paintbrush, I’ve admittedly harbored the fantasy of starting my own storefront on Etsy. I don’t expect to make a living, but I’m not immune to the siren call that brings many women to the site. After decades of being encouraged to forego the unpaid “women’s work” of our mothers and grandmothers, we are tired of being divorced from our hands and from the genuine pleasures such work can afford.... Women, too, hunger for concrete, manual labor that has an element of individual agency and pleasure beyond the abstract, purely cerebral work found in the cubicle or corner office. It’s become satisfying again to sew, cook, and garden. But unlike our mothers and grandmothers, who were content to knit booties for relatives, younger women want to be recognized and compensated for their talents." She goes onto say that Etsy is really taking away from your neighborhood artsy lady by making her kind of work cheaper in a sense b/c it's now like an ebay. Crafting and selling full time for yourself, by yourself, even w/ your own website, is hard as hell on its own. Etsy isn't the only place online that stay at home moms are bombarded with that promises full time pay for full time hours at home. I should know b/c i'm also a stay at home mom. The paragraph you pulled to feature, to me, is her saying "why would these women who can make alot more money be doing such crafty homely things?" Etsy makes it out like you CAN do what you LOVE, stay at home and make full income off of it. Which, w/ a baby and even being the most talented crocheter , i doubt you'd ever be able to make over poverty level income AND actually have time to be a mom and take care of your house. That's why it seems etsy is telling tall tales. I love etsy and sell some things off there as well. I buy things there too. And I loved this article. I think you are reading too much into what she was saying. Did you not read the last 2 paragraphs of the article?
” As someone who’s handy with a paintbrush, I’ve admittedly harbored the fantasy of starting my own storefront on Etsy. I don’t expect to make a living, but I’m not immune to the siren call that brings many women to the site. After decades of being encouraged to forego the unpaid “women’s work” of our mothers and grandmothers, we are tired of being divorced from our hands and from the genuine pleasures such work can afford…. Women, too, hunger for concrete, manual labor that has an element of individual agency and pleasure beyond the abstract, purely cerebral work found in the cubicle or corner office. It’s become satisfying again to sew, cook, and garden. But unlike our mothers and grandmothers, who were content to knit booties for relatives, younger women want to be recognized and compensated for their talents.”

She goes onto say that Etsy is really taking away from your neighborhood artsy lady by making her kind of work cheaper in a sense b/c it’s now like an ebay. Crafting and selling full time for yourself, by yourself, even w/ your own website, is hard as hell on its own. Etsy isn’t the only place online that stay at home moms are bombarded with that promises full time pay for full time hours at home. I should know b/c i’m also a stay at home mom.

The paragraph you pulled to feature, to me, is her saying “why would these women who can make alot more money be doing such crafty homely things?” Etsy makes it out like you CAN do what you LOVE, stay at home and make full income off of it. Which, w/ a baby and even being the most talented crocheter , i doubt you’d ever be able to make over poverty level income AND actually have time to be a mom and take care of your house. That’s why it seems etsy is telling tall tales. I love etsy and sell some things off there as well. I buy things there too. And I loved this article.

]]> By: Lara http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-67 Lara Sun, 26 Jul 2009 12:17:42 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-67 oh, this is so 80's ! lol women need jobs to reassure themselves? work at home is work. i dind't really choose to stay at home after giving birth, but i am happy it happened. whenever i see a friend considering to stay home w small kids i say, go for it. I have no regrets, and really, you'd have a hard time looking for a feminist more radical than me :D sahms sell on etsy because they are talented and productive. hugs from Rio oh, this is so 80′s ! lol women need jobs to reassure themselves?
work at home is work. i dind’t really choose to stay at home after giving birth, but i am happy it happened. whenever i see a friend considering to stay home w small kids i say, go for it. I have no regrets, and really, you’d have a hard time looking for a feminist more radical than me :D sahms sell on etsy because they are talented and productive.

hugs from Rio

]]> By: Your fantasy is not my reality « Pretty Stationery for Beautiful Souls http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Your fantasy is not my reality « Pretty Stationery for Beautiful Souls Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:04:12 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-29 [...] from other perspectives online, I’m not the only one that feels this way. Possibly related posts: (automatically [...] [...] from other perspectives online, I’m not the only one that feels this way. Possibly related posts: (automatically [...]

]]> By: Lisa http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Lisa Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:46:19 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-28 Thank you for the post. My sentiments exactly. Thank you for the post. My sentiments exactly.

]]> By: Amy http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Amy Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:41:30 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-25 Thanks for the comment, Jana. I want to find something redeeming in the article, but it seems to be a cheap attempt to stir the pot. Too bad the writer couldn't have found a more meaningful way to engage her readers. Thanks for the comment, Jana. I want to find something redeeming in the article, but it seems to be a cheap attempt to stir the pot. Too bad the writer couldn’t have found a more meaningful way to engage her readers.

]]> By: Jana http://amygurumi.com/2009/06/etsy-false-feminism/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Jana Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:28:02 +0000 http://amygurumi.com/?p=198#comment-22 This woman sounds like she got up on the wrong side of the bed! What nerve to devalue anyone because they choose to pursue an artistic "career" instead of a corporate boardroom! I say BRAVO to the women selling on Etsy! I don't sell on there because I am employed as a teacher, and being single, have no choice! BUT, if I DID have a choice, I may make things for profit too. And WHAT is wrong with THAT? Sorry, but this woman is simply a moron! This woman sounds like she got up on the wrong side of the bed! What nerve to devalue anyone because they choose to pursue an artistic “career” instead of a corporate boardroom! I say BRAVO to the women selling on Etsy! I don’t sell on there because I am employed as a teacher, and being single, have no choice! BUT, if I DID have a choice, I may make things for profit too. And WHAT is wrong with THAT? Sorry, but this woman is simply a moron!

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