I saw this article today and it got me thinking about all the cooking and gardening I’ve been doing. I have mixed feelings about the author’s point of view. It’s true that Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own is still relevant (and not just for upper middle class, white, cisgendered women), but the food movement that’s happening now isn’t a retreat back into traditional gender roles. It’s coming out of a greater awareness of the health of the earth and its inhabitants.

I’m obviously going to have to ponder this more and write a longer post, but for now, here are my thoughts:

• I’ve seen folks of all genders getting more involved in where their food comes from and how it’s preserved and processed;
• Many of the younger folks that are getting involved are choosing farming and cooking as life paths, rather than getting bogged down by food-related tasks instead of making art;
• Many artists do separate themselves (if they have that luxury) from daily tasks, though others find gardening or cooking a relaxing and contemplative activity that feeds their creativity.