Janet CollinsWomen and Washing Machines
March 10th 2009 19:06
No woman or man would not marvel the invention of the washing machine – and the advancements in washing machine technology - since it came into being. The same can be said of a whole sway of applicances and other time-saving devices. Having said this, it comes as rather an affront to women that a publication this week has promoted the washing mahine as a woman's most important asset.
In a paper put out this week by the Vatican, an article is promoting the washing machine as something that has been the most liberating thing for any woman in modern times. Are they for real or are they trying to ignite something here? In its semi-official newspaper, l’Osservatore Romano, the washing machine supposedly is the thing that has given women the most liberation of all.
Ironically, the article coincided with International Women’s Day on Sunday. It was entitled “The Washing Machine and the Liberation of Women – Put in the Detergent, Close the Lid and Relax”, putting the washing machine, before the pill and working outside the home as the most liberating thing for a woman in modern times.
Of course, you would never think that the Vatican would extoll the virtues of the pill, but to think that a washing machine is given higher status for women's liberation than the right to work outside the home is something that needs a little more examination. They even went so far as to say that modern washing machines have allowed women to sip cappuccinos with their friends while they have just simply dumped the family washing into a laundromat washer.
Really, what can we say has liberated men? Perhaps it is the wheelie bins that now make it easier for them to put out the garbage! What century are these people living in?
Source:
Reuters
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Comment by Mistersmith
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Hmmm. I would like to take up one point here.
The Vatican is a weird, weird, weird to point of being creepy institution but, nontheless, the pill has not given women true freedom and control of their bodies - they are allowing their bodies to be controlled by a substance which they ingest (and invented by men!). Having a natural menstrual cycle and understanding that cycle will give you control of your body. And the pill inhibits the libido. How can that be a good thing? It is not difficult to avoid pregnancy. And the idea that using natural birth control means you are in some sort of sex-deprived denial is just a joke. As I used to say to people who asked me about it - There are lots of ways to have sex and only one will get you pregnant. And it's up to you to say when it's okay.
Comment by Chris Champion
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Washing machine technology has gone backwards, in my opinion. I went looking for one recently and couldn't find a twin-tub model anywhere. I thought the advance from one tub to two was right up there with manned flights to Mars and womanned flights to Venus, but it appears all the manufacturers have returned to single tubs. Go figure.
But there's worse. Do you think I can find a washing machine with rollers any more. No!
Someone should do something about this. Maybe if I write to the Pope. He seems to have strong views on washing machines.
Comment by katyzzz
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What you regard as liberation i regard as its own peculiar form of bondage, there are not too many good men out there any more.
Sad to say, I feel for the plight of modern young women who are, at best, self delusional, sorry, but you would not have me agree for the sake of agreeing would you.
It's a good post.I
Comment by RubySoho
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Comment by alt_ed
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Well, Catholics love ingesting bit's of Christ as part of communion. I'd much rather be ingesting a substance produced under strict scientific guidelines that a bit of mouldy skin...
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i think the vatican is basing this statement on a few sexist and elitist assumptions
1) that ALL women used to spend ALL of their day washing clothing - in times gone past it was a job almost exclusively done by the lower class, servants, and poverty striken
2) that washing machines are currently available to ALL women ALL over the world - i bet theres a few women in India who have yet to take advantage of the machine, to own one you need money, space, and electricity, its not like they are handed out to all girl babies at birth
3) the amount of time spent doing your families washing is in direct proportion to how many children you have, so in many cases the birth control pill and abortion have more effectively allowed women to control their washing machine loads
4) people who live in poverty do not always see clothes-washing as a priority, they have less clothes, and in the working and under classes there is less expectation that every outfit will be freshly washed and pressed every day - the lower your income, the less frequently you would wash, re-wearing items several times or all week, go back far enough in history and people were only bathing once a month
5) washing clothes also comes down to water and energy availability and affordability
what really liberates women is the ability to earn an income so you can afford a laudromatte, house keeper, or private washing machine and the electricity, water, and space to house it
what really liberates women is smashing the insane notion of gender roles where washing clothing is primarily classified as "womens work"
what really liberates women is equal access to education, paid work, health care, and the legal right to choose if and when they will marry, have sex, and reproduce
so in any given job, say a priest, if a woman had an equal right to training and employment, then they would be one step closer to being liberated
Comment by Mr Nice Guy
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No doubt they're preaching to the great unwashed of society . . .
Comment by Anonymous
"Well, Catholics love ingesting bit's of Christ as part of communion. I'd much rather be ingesting a substance produced under strict scientific guidelines that a bit of mouldy skin... "
And who says atheists are not a fun loving bunch?
Seriously, try to do a full load of washing by hand, and then tell me how the washing machine is under rated.
Oh, and Morgan, get off your soap box.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Mister Smith: I'll have to differ with you on that one. I guess the whole point of this post was to show how appalled I was that even today, washing clothes is seen as women's work.
Chris: What's a twin tub?
katyzzz: Oh, I am all for labour saving devices, let me tell you but I think I'll skip on the washing morning idea. Don't forget, men too have benefited from modern washing machine technology. Can you picture any of them washing clothes by hand....in dreams maybe.
Ruby: I doubt it but they sure manage to get media coverage!
stu-kicks: Oh, silly me. I hadn't thought of that.
alt_ed: A bit off the point...but what the hell!
Morgan: You have made some very valid and important points here. First of all is this one:
Then of course it is all your points in the summary about equality and smashing the gender roles. Thank you.
MNG: Never heard of the Pope washing machine but I am not always familiar with household appliance names. If it was one, I am sure they probably did pretty well. People probably bought them to get a few brownie points to get to heaven.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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you seem to spend alot of time bleating about how people with different opinions should be respected, yet you seem to forget it pretty quickly when the shoes on the other foot
a little tip for blogging, try being courteous and relevant in comments as it will attract more readers back to your own site . . . its much more effective than trolling and baiting other users . . . if you cant do that but are still desperately seeking attention from strangers perhaps you should consider flashing your privates on a webcam site and stop pretending to be a blogger
Comment by Janet Collins
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I would ask that if you come to my blog and offer those magnificent worldly comments, insulting everyone in the process, say it with conviction and be brave......don't hide behind "Anonymous".
Comment by alt_ed
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I think that sums up the Vatican's outlook for pretty much everything. They've probably only just discovered washing machines and are dismayed at the thought of having to throw away all their old mangles.
As for the Pill and working outside the home, well - they're Roman Catholics. They're not allowed the Pill and when was the last time a Catholic woman worked outside the home? I mean, not counting getting stoned for being the town hussy, or something.
P.S. This is a humorous response, before anyone gets all angry.
P.P.S. The most liberating thing for women has been seuxal equality. Feminism, as in. Who needs a washing machine when it's your husband's job to clean everything, anyway?
Comment by Mistersmith
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Yet another assumption! Make sure you know who you are directing all your effing blah blah blah at. I have never made an anonymous comment on Orble apart from a single comment on one post - yours - which you did to lampoon me. And that comment was done in answer to the number of planted comments you get which give the appearance that lots of people agree with you. And I made it easy for you work out who it was, so you can stop patting yourself on the back.
If I have something to say I will put my name (or tag, since I now know how vicious and vindictive some Orblers are) to it.
And try not judging from your own limited perspective. Just because you set out to get lots of readers doesn't mean that we all do. Some of us have more interest in actually engaging with people beyond a nauseous stream of inane quips - back and forward, on and on it goes...
Comment by Morgan Bell
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you routinely leave anonymous comments all over the site, and they are all written in the same style using the same language . . . youre not fooling anyone
so Teresa, what exactly is a "planted comment"?
is that where you write something highly offensive, i write a parody of it and other Orble users comment me of their own free will?
or is it where you delete all the comments from asian people who took you to task on your racism?
its always easy to work out who you are:
- the person making the small-minded and aggressive comments
ive seen you all over Orble trying to pick fights and be rude and rock the boat, trying the flare up old flame wars so you can pick sides . . . that is something that is truly nauseous
if you dont find me engaging then stop interacting with me, stop talking about me, and get over your stupid conspiracy theory that people who comment me are controlled or created by me . . . you are offending alot of real users with your accusations . . . but maybe that is your aim, to be the new "controversial" figure on Orble who people click on out of outrage and disgust?
Comment by Mistersmith
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But my stars for the day tell me:
"don't engage with the dark, today. Focus only on what is light."
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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theres about twenty Orble users who are my friends outside of Orble, its not hard to verify that i am not a "pretender" . . . even someone with the most basic internet skills could uncover huge networks of real life friends who can attest to my existance
Morgan Bell is my real name
you are embarrassing yourself
Comment by Mistersmith
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Comment by Janet Collins
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This post was a simple comment on the Vatican's views on washing machines and women. Everyone is certainly welcome to make comments and put their points of view on my posts.
However, this very simple post has invited more of a slanging match than I had anticipated.
I would REALLYappreciate it if everyone could be a little more pleasant to one anoher and each others views.
Thank you.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Thanks for the comment. I think washing machines have been liberating for ALL of us - and that was the point They have been good for men too as are any of the household appliances that have updated through the years.
Spike
Thanks for the comment. I think all religions veer towards the conservative. I am a Roman Catholic myself (although I cannot claim to be practising) and me and plenty of my family and friends work outside the home.
It is only a few of them that say silly things like this and sometimes I think it is nothing more than to get attention and the media plays up to them wholeheartedly.
As I have said in other comments, all modern applicances have made all of our lives easier - including men.
Thanks.
Comment by Spike 2
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The washing machine is, admittedly, very liberating for everyone. I'd put it right up there with the fridge, microwave and cheap cars. However, I do still believe that the (not yet complete) emancipation of women has been significantly more liberating - their own jobs, less pressure to do the 1950s thing of being a mum and that's it, the right to vote, to choose, to speak out. To be who they are, not to fit into a nice pigeon-hole.
Comment by Janet Collins
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Thank you.
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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sorry my comments to Teresa are getting a little off track, i have only responded because i was addressed directly
like i said earlier, i dont think her baiting and trolling does her, or anyone, any favours
she might think her dismissive comments of "get a grip" and "get off your soapbox" are the epitome of "engaging" people, but frankly ive had enough of her rudeness, just not in the mood for attention seekers this week
moving on . . .
Comment by Mistersmith
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I hope you will allow me to make this final comment.
I did not address Morgan on this post. She attacked me me and accused me of being the Anonymous commenter here and I responded. I certainly have no desire to otherwise engage with Morgan Bell. I can assure you that Anonymous was not me, nor have I being leaving anonymous comments all over Orble. I inadvertantly published my own email address, instead of my name, and it was available for some time for anyone to see. So I must assume that another person posted using it. I changed my email address almost a week ago and I have not used that particular email address to post comments since.
Thank you for your patience.
Comment by Mrs M
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LIberating? Well I think Morgan raised a point where those from lower socio-economic status or in years gone by ie before the washing machine, clothes just weren't that important.
My mum is a classic example. She used to hand wash but then again she would only wash the clothes once a week. And I remember her telling me to not get my clothes dirty so I could wear them again. It's not unheard of to go through 2 outfits a day these days.
Perhaps the washing machine means we don't have to bend over a basin scrubbing but we do tend to do the laundry 2 - 3 times a week now. We still have to hang the clothes up, fold them and put them away.
Liberating? Labour saving? Maybe.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Postmodern Critic
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It's not that the washing machine isn't helpful (although I do think it's an odd choice - I would choose the computer as the most liberating item for women, because they can communicate with other people outside their immediate social circles and engage in online political activism, to think of one example), it's that, like most of you, I think it's just a minor part of the picture. And yes, it's a very sexist assertion to claim that it is liberating for *women* and not people, so I'm glad you brought it to our attention!
P.S. Stay on your soapbox, Morgan honey... lol.
Comment by Janet Collins
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It is unusual that they didn't even bother to mention the computer, now that you say it. I was thinking more about household appliances and how the advancement of them has made EVERYONE'S lives easier.
Comment by Janet Collins
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You have hit the nail on the head. The washing machine is a labour saving device and we all welcome those...don't we?
Comment by Waysouth
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But I know for sure that the Vatican represents the dark ages, because I learned that on Orble, in the article about Brazil and the 9-year old with twins.
BTW that story about the 9 year old is TRUE because it is in many mainstream media stories (True, I tell ya, the media wouldn't lie). The Catholic church even told the President of Brazil that if he supported abortion in any cases, he should immediately consult a Theologian.
Comment by Janet Collins
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This post attracted a lot more comment and debate than I would have expected. It is true that the Vatican is really back in the dark ages but sometimes I wonder if they really generate these opinions just to get a bit of attention.
Thanks for stopping by.