A couple days ago (scroll down to 9/17), Staceyjoy commented on a p*rn c0llect0r's bl@g (I'm deliberately spelling it that way to try to avoid weird google searches) about said c0llect0r's comments about women blogging about "traditionally feminine" stuff like knitting seemed to reinforce the false image of women's "stupidity".

I, cringingly, visited the site, since I don't like to comment on things I've not read.

It's kind of a throwaway comment on the blog, and I think Staceyjoy got whacked by this woman because the title of Staceyjoy's blog is "Red Lipstick", and I can see how that might grab the attention of someone with particular sorts of alternative tastes. But still - it was a sort of stupid and annoying comment on the woman's part, and it makes a couple of assumptions I think are false:

1. We are only happy as bloggers when lots of people link to us.
I don't think that's true of me. Sure, I'm gratified when I see my name up on someone's blogroll, but I'm not going to change the focus of my blog just to get more hits (ummm...isn't there some kind of metaphor for that that involves one of the terms for a prostitute?)

Likewise, I'm not going to alter my content or my style just to draw people to my site. And I hope my readers can bear with me through busy times, through times when I don't present any exciting links, because, you know, my real life is my #1 priority.

one of the things I wrestle with in everyday life - and am slowly winning at - is the idea that I should just let the people who love me, love me, and not worry about trying to convert those who don't, sadly mistaken as they may be.

2. Somehow talking about sex is more worthwhile than talking about craft, or feelings, or relationships.

Just because it titillates people doesn't make it more worthwhile. If you let children have any food they'd want, all they'd eat was candy. Likewise, if some people have any entertainment options they can have, they'll choose a not-very-varied diet that probably isn't terribly good for them (I have some strong feelings about p*rn (anti) but I won't post them here).

3. "Women's work" is stupid, and women who talk about it are stupid.

that is untrue. I have read really good and compelling writing on many of the knitting blogs - the drama of family life, living through poverty, being a doctor knitter (excellent blog at The Stillpoint on this), commentary about everyday life and what it means to make our way through life as women - single, married with kids, partnered, divorced, widowed, whatever. (Yes, I realize there are men with knitblogs but I'm specifically talking about women here because we were the ones the slam was directed at).
I think a lot of us who blog about our knitting also weave in bits of our everyday life. I know a lot of the knitting bloggers are intelligent and articulate people, and it brings me joy to read their blogs.

knitting blogs are more than catalogs of projects. But it takes some time spent reading them to see that.

I realize that 95% of ALL blogs are, in the grand scheme of history, pretty trivial. The Lord knows mine is. But the fact is, a lot of our lives are triviality. And if you can make sense of the odd things that happen, of the things people say to you, if you can try to bring a little kindness or laughter or connection to someone else's life, that maybe redeems a little of the triviality.

I keep this blog partly for myself - I enjoy going back and seeing how long certain projects took me, or reading what I was thinking about months ago. But I know I have at least one or two readers who come here to see what I'm thinking. I hope my thoughts are of interest to them, that I can get that little connection across the miles.

who was it that said "only connect"?

anyway, it was a pretty cheap shot on the part of that p*** c******** to comment on the stupidity and triviality of knitting blogs and thinking she is striking a witty and clever blow for feminism. 'Cause true feminism is having the freedom to do what we want, and not be ridiculed for it, whatever it may be.

(yes, I realize there is the tiny outside chance the woman was making a joke with her comment. But it didn't come across as a joke to me.)