Blog post - February

Natalie Perdew

Professor Ivey

Comm 160

3-1-17

Feminist in the Kitchen
Feminism was something I greatly anticipated in a class of communications taught by someone with a gender studies background. However, the idea that there is only one way to be a feminist has stuck to me like glue since fourth grade. And the idea that some people lack the desire to even attempt to see past their experiences blows my mind. I thought I would hear at least one person in this class complain about gender roles, and classism. And while the kitchen and gender roles go hand in hand, it never occurred to me how that to could be negative AND positive.

In Michael Pollan’s Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch, Pollan discusses the change in American food and culture, as well as equality, using Julia Child’s show The French Chef as the lense. What struck me was how food and equality were correlated here. I have always heard the adage “get back in the kitchen” in reference to far too many things a majority of women I knew growing up attempted to accomplish. I felt rather divided by the kitchen. I love to cook and bake, and the kitchen is where my whole family gathers when we get together. My grandma made cookies with me every Wednesday after school from pre-K to 12 grade. I adore seeing people smile when they bite into my alpine fondue or my latest chocolate creation. But I was made to feel guilty and at times, outraged, to be in the kitchen when I “should” be doing something to even the playing field with the boys.  As if by doing an activity that enjoy that happens to fit a gender role meant that I couldn’t be a strong or intelligent female, and do better than the boys.

Pollan’s explanation of what Julia attempted to accomplish with The French Chef gave me the words to express my views on how there is not one right way to be a feminist. “She tried to show the sort of women who read “The Feminine Mystique” that, far from oppressing them, the work of cooking approached in the proper spirit offered a kind of fulfillment and deserved an intelligent woman’s attention” (Pollan). For myself, when I am in the kitchen I do not feel oppressed. I cook what I want, how I want, and for whom I want. Nothing gets to dictate that except my budget and time.  You can believe in being equal and enjoy an activity without it being a fulfillment duty of a gender role. This third wave of feminism, talking about who can be feminist should only exemplify the point that there is not a single way to be feminist. There are many routes, all of which reflect your positions in society. Yes, food is an excellent way to discuss this. And yes, food culture changes depending on categories like ethnicity, gender, class or religion. Food is about community and spending time together, being kind and understanding what goes on in the lives of others, not just survival. So to should talks about equality.