@redoak @afewbugs there is so much wisdom and love in just accepting that life is messy and not leaving it up to other people to clean up after you.

Caring for the people around you by cleaning up after them if you are able is also sublime and shouldn’t be left up to gendered divisions of labor.

@peejmaybe respectfully, who is this performance supposed to be for? unequal gendered divisions of labor and especially emotional labor are not something old and distant. it's been the norm this whole time for a vast majority of people.

@redoak @afewbugs

#JoshuaIdehen

marc [sustain release] ✅ (@sustainrelease@mastodon.social)

The world according to your mom doing the washing! I might have mentioned it already. I believe that "Mum Does The Washing" by #JoshuaIdehen has been my favourite track/video of 2024! https://youtu.be/PS9Bc_GQBEs #housemusic #electronicmusic #spokenword

Mastodon (mastodon.social)

@redoak @afewbugs

Yet, I am incredibly confused by the fact that so many people from my generation (Gen Z), especially (but not only) boys, don't even see a point in learning how to cook.
As my English teacher once put it:
"Being able to make food for yourself is quite an essential skill for your life."

But perhaps I just enjoy cooking way too much to really understand the struggles of people who don't ‍️

So yes, you're absolutely right - that's just my two cents.

@macbraughton @redoak @afewbugs

The rest of my family have various forms of disability so even though cleaning is not much in my nature noticing other folks and being kind and helpful is.

It can be a kindness to have the opportunity to be kind.

@drmambobob true, also with a lot of other things

@redoak @afewbugs “who washes the dishes” is a classic anarchist problem https://crimethinc.com/posters/wash-your-own-dishes

@redoak Brings to mind Leonard Cohen's lyric:
"The homicidal bitchin'
That goes on in every kitchen
To determine who will serve and who will eat"

@afewbugs

@redoak @afewbugs what we need is a bearded influencer who makes dish washing videos wearing black latex gloves and using a hand-carved oak handled brush

@drmambobob @redoak Absolutely all this. It reminds me of a conversation I once had with a guy who said he couldn't make an appointment because he was "babysitting the kids". He was referring to his own children. Didn't quite know at the time how to explain to him that one doesn't babysit their own children. He was also very grumpy and put out by this turn of events that he was being expected to parent his own kids on a singular day out of many.

@drmambobob @redoak Yes yes! I love to see the mental load recognized.

@redoak @afewbugs Let's go!

@jupitersigh I was the stay-home Dad to my son for his first six or seven years, and I wouldn't trade those years for the world. To this day (he's 20), he reminds me of the talks and walks we had, the things we did and learned together. I have a bond with my son that will never be broken, and could never have been forged as easily any other way. @drmambobob @redoak

@Nerd @redoak @afewbugs
Both my parents could cook (they had somewhat stereotypical strengths and weaknesses at it relative to each other, but both were competent enough even at their weaker points). The attitude about it in our house was, "Cooking isn't a feminine skill, but a survival skill."

It bugs me that this attitude isn't more widespread... and given what's happening in our country now, I worry some people may die over it because supplies of heat-and-eat food may be disrupted.

@drmambobob @redoak Many years ago, we blew my young son's mind when my wife went out to more the lawn while I "cleaned the kitchen". (I was actually cleaning the ceiling to prepare it for painting, but I worded it that way on purpose. )

@pteryx @Nerd @redoak @afewbugs
When single I was always able to put _something_ on the table and as a newlywed I backslid some to more stereotypical “manly” cooking, but always did something. about 15 years ago I went “i can do this!” And learned to cook. It’s been so much fun

So many of my wife’s friends have husbands who do NOTHING in the kitchen and and Im always “dude! Friday night is spaghetti night. You can f’ing manage spaghetti for the family.”