An apology and a defense. As I said in the newsletter today, I wish I'd mentioned up front that this apron is intended to be the first of a series, including a streamlined apron suitable for men and women. One comment took me to task for "reinforcing outdated gender roles." My sincere apologies for any appearance in that direction. It's a shame that so many women have been talked out of the joys and power of cooking from scratch, as documented brilliantly by Laura Shapiro in Something from the Oven. But that joy and power should be available to men as well. Nearly everybody can and should cook.
On the other hand, I was surprised by the survey response that said that selling the apron goes against the original intent of Cook for Good and that the money should just be spent on food. Cook for Good is for people of all income levels. Certainly you should feed your kids before buying an apron, but protecting your other clothes while you cook makes sense. And I always feel like I'm donning a superhero cape when I put on my apron — it's just fun. I hope some of you will choose to support my work by buying the ebook, taking a class, or eventually buying the apron. I don't get funding from any other source. Making a quality product in the U.S., especially with disabled workers, seems to be right in line with my "make a difference" goal.
But what do you think?
I don't think there was any indication that you were reinforcing outdated gender roles. I also think it's good common sense to use an apron to protect your clothing and save money upfront instead of buying replacement clothing. It's cheaper to buy another apron than to buy new outfits. I think the comments you received were a bit too critical.
ReplyDeleteLinda, you are my hero and can do no wrong! I'm so impressed with what you are doing to bring home cooked meals back into vogue.
ReplyDeleteAs regards aprons - I can't tell you how many nice blouses I've stained because I didn't take a moment to pull on my superhero cape. So, note to self - wear your apron!
As regards selling aprons to support the wonderful work you do - heck yeah! I don't see a conflict of interest at all.
And re: gender roles - without seeing the apron design, I can't know what triggered the offense. I do know that you can't please all of the people all of the time. And I also know a great many super good cooks who happen to be men. My father and my husband, to name two.
Your blog is far less ad-intensive than most blogs. I appreciate that I'm not bombarded with pop-ups and targeted ads. So go ahead and sell your apron, and don't sweat it. As the poster above said, you can't please everyone.
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