Drupal Chart in a Sock Heel (emmajane.net)

I’ve been building this site for the upcoming Pan-Canadian Young Feminist Gathering, Waves of Resistance/Toujours Rebelles, using “brand new to me” Drupal. In less techie terms, Drupal is an open source content management system (CMS), with the benefit being that non-professionals can learn to use this tool to build dynamic websites that they have full control over and can allow others to access the process with them.

It has definitely been a steep learning curve for all those involved (even me who has been working on-and-off in the internet world for a number of years), but working with an open-source project has been most rewarding. And now my love of Drupal has turned into a need to show my Drupal pride, especially since only 7% of Drupal users are women (we have our own support group over at Drupal Groups). So as soon as I can breathe a sigh of relief that the Rebelles2008 website is fully functioning I will cast these on: Drupal Socks and a Drupal .ico hat. Maybe soon I can too call myself a Drupal Ninja!

Today on The Kitchn there was an article about The Perfect Tomato Sandwich and it reminded me of Harriet’s struggle with her mastery of cutting a tomato.

I always felt kind of childish watching the Harriet the Spy movie with my little sister. I was in high school and “kid” movies like that weren’t supposed to make me cry! Especially since I read the book when I was a wee one. I think what I liked most about the story was that it was about a curious young girl who had a love for tomato sandwiches and an ability to have incredibly true emotions for a young fictional person. I love the part in the movie where Harriet is fighting with her mom about being a big enough person to cut the tomato for her sandwich, but her mom gives her a butter knife and splat goes the tomato. Oh the angst of the pre-teen. Didn’t her mother know that she was an amazing spy and had the skills to use a sharp knife?

It was that moment of her struggling with the tomato that I took on the tomato sandwich as my daily I’m-a-new-vegetarian lunch. I mean, if this cool spy can relish in the tomato sandwich its simplicity was good for me!

A friend alterted me to this.

Turns out ECKO thinks it can throw a bunch of bikini-clad women into a factory in hopes we stop asking questions about where their clothes are made. Because obviously hot girls in bikinis make your jeans!

But if you’re not beautiful, stay away! In their faux news release, “Unattractive Girl Sues ECKO“, ECKO make their line and their brand inaccessible and embarrassing for over half of their market(America).

“It isn’t fair! It isn’t right!” she screamed.

Emotions were running high outside the Ecko Manufacturing factory yesterday as a disgruntled job-seeker vented her frustration at the company’s hiring standards.

Janet Oner had previously applied for an entry-level position at Ecko Manufacturing.

The only problem, according to company officials, was that she looked like a farm animal.

“So what if people mistake me for a pot-bellied pig,” snorted Ms. Oner. “I’m a damn good worker.”

(Independent research confirmed that Oner does bear an uncanny resemblance to the domesticated breed.)

In response to her denial of employment, Oner filed a lawsuit claiming unreasonably high standards and discrimination against the morbidly unattractive.

While declining to comment on the pending case, company officials noted that manual ability is only one element of a successful Manufacturing employee.

“Everyone in our factory can do their job,” explained the head of human resources. “But the difference is that our jeans are made with love by hot girls.”

To boot, the pictures in the photo gallery are not mildly pornographic. In one of the photos it looks like she’s being given something in the face, and a response from a warm hearted reader to a different photo brings: “LET ME NUT IN YOUR PRETTY FACE”. In the words of Cher Horowitz, “Uh, as if!”

If today were Friday, I’d do a Feminist Friday F-you to ECKO, but since it’s not I’ll leave with this pearl of wisdom: make your own clothes and thrift for clothes! I know it’s more work, but the pay-off in the end is not torturing ourselves to be their “target market” or feeling like we’ve got to take it in the face every time we wear denim. Grrrrr.

Angela Davis T. (KM Stitchery)

The clothing industry can often be an unethical place. Unfriendly manufacturing, sizing that doesn’t reflect actual markets or bodies, and emotionally damaging advertising campaigns create a culture of feminist disenchantment with what we wear and where we buy it. Even American Apparel, a cultural icon positively known for its lack of sweatshop labour, has a CEO who has been known to perpetuate a sexual environment within the company, including having sex with his staff and creating borderline pornographic shoots for advertising (see “Living On The Edge At American Apparel” ).

Needless to say, it’s refreshing to see cool, eco-friendly, feminist clothing like KMStitchery’s, the feminist stenciling of herstory! The premise of her clothing is that it’s ethical clothing for feministing in.

“I think it’s important to remember the womyn who paved the way for us. I am excited to get womyn excited about feminism! Or just to get them excited about political fems! I am disgruntled with how you see mostly male revolutionaries on t-shirts but not fems…I am here to focus on the great womyn of our past.”

Every month KMStitchery cuts a new feminist stencil and to date they range from Angela Davis (above) to bell hooks, Emma Goldman, and Gloria Steinem. All of the stencils are printed on recycled or reclaimed clothes and a variety of articles and styles are present, from t-shirts to skirts to hoodies. In the words of KMStitchery, “Represent! With these powerful ladies!”

Modofly is an artists’ collaborative run by “jack of all trade artists/designers” Jordan and Kevin. They make these hip-looking notebooks and are currently seeking submissions for new artwork for their next run of notebooks. And this time they’re requesting art within two themes, “Girly” and “Femme”.

We are looking for work that women and girls alike will gush over. We have been accused by some of the female folk of being weak on the feminine front with our books, so we want you to help us solve this (Okay, we get it! Kez and I are boy nerds full of tech lust, and you need to show us the way). So send us work that your girlfriend will gush over, your mom will kiss you for, your wife will give you some marital points, or a new mom will get down to filling with all the details of life.

My response is as follows:

First, recognizing you have a “gap” might be the first step, but asking for “girly” art does not necessarily make you any more inclusive.

Second, not all women and girls in the art and craft world are the same. It might not happen that “women and girls alike will gush over” the work.

Third, I’m kind of happy you’ve been accused of being too masculine in your work and art. I just wish you had chosen a word other than “accused”, which makes it sound like you’re the victim.

Fourth, it’s not our job to “show you the way”.

Fifth, your final sentence makes it sound like you want boys to send you work that the women and girls in their lives will buy. That’s so progressive guys!

The famous Wonder Woman jumper created by Practical Polly.

As far as empowered and hip feminist idols go, Wonder Woman is hands-down the favourite of many third-wavers, comic lovers, epherma junkies, and crafters. While her outfit can be seen as another reason to wear very few clothes on Hallowe’en, as a costume it has a sense of ownership and agency that a Playboy Bunny costume or a Swedish Bar Maid costume can’t afford you.

Often crafters take on the Wonder Woman motif in surprising and inspiring ways. At Instructables there is a tutorial on how to subvert “the man” by turning that Barbie-doll-of-oppression into a feministy-Wonder Woman (you could probably add some clay or duct tape to give her a more realistic shape!). And Craftster user chris_wass created a knitted Wonder Woman costume! But, my favourite is the Wonder Woman Jumper. Created by Practical Polly, the jumper has gained notoriety for the wonderful pattern and for being a garment you can wear more often than a tights-required costume.

If you don’t have the crafty bug in you there are also a handful of Wonder Woman themed handmade items available on Etsy, likr this intricate Wonder Woman charm bracelet, this duct tape wallet, or this votive candle.

We’ll always be safe (and crafty) as long as Wonder Woman is around.

Rachel-Marie hard at work spinning. (Rachel-Marie)

I have this tendency of hording crafters into my pocket and obsessing over what they make, how they sell and contribute to the crafting world, and lauding them for every wonderful behaviour and personality trait they embody. They become my idols and I look up to them and think, “When I grow up I want to be a crafter just like them!”

I’m not sure what originally drew me to Rachel-Marie at KnittyDirtyGirl, but there was definitely some magic spell that I’ve fallen under. Like many full-time crafters she said goodbye to her day job in a great move of strength and a leap of faith. A year on, and a handful of life changes behind her, she reached her 1,000th etsy sale, began working more with natural and/or recycled materials and packaging, and sharing more of her process with her followers.

Handspun Yarn made by KnittyDirtyGirl. (Rachel-Marie)

Rachel-Marie is truly an inspiration for any DIYer that doesn’t want to keep their corporate job and needs to carve out their own niche and way of living, loving, and working. You can find her all over the internet in her store, her vintage store, on her blog, and over at the Etsy Storque. And if you find you’re up to your ears in her yarns, call me - I think we should start a support group, or fundraiser, because we’ll need more.

DIY shoulder-pad hat over at The Coveted. (The Coveted)

Pop quiz!

You might be a shoulder pad feminist if:

a) your messenger bag sports a “Vote Clinton” pin
b) you “do it all”
c) you came of age in the era of shoulder pads and still see sexism everywhere.

But, if you’re like me and you don’t like to wear your shoulder pads in your thrifted blazers, cutting them out doesn’t have to mean more garbage: you can now wear those shoulder pads on your head!

Jennine over at The Coveted and the absolutely amazing Coveted Shoppe recycled her found shoulder pads and created beautiful hats! There’s no tutorial, but you could probably take some elastic, sew it on to wear under the back of your head, and glue on some tassle-y things. Sequins, those little fabric birds, sparkles, and trinkets can also be hot glued wherever needed.

So rock that shoulder pad in a way that makes you feel confident and thrifty: bringing the brawn of the shoulder pad back to your head.