Your Letters Answered

I love every comment & letter that I receive. I wanted to share this letter and my response with you...

Your blog caught my attention when I was googling plastic bottle chandelier.... yours turned out super cute by the way!  Any way, you have more entry's that caught my eye and I am interested to know what are some of your favorite books to read about parenting, marriage, life.

I really love ya'lls modern/hippie style!  You are so young and yet doing so much.  What or who has been your biggest influences?  I just got done reading a book called Radical Womanhood and it deals with all the eras of feminism and how they have effected our society today.  How has your " feminist house wife" life been viewed from others in your line of study?

I know I just through out a lot of questions out at ya, hope you don't mind

-Megan

Thanks so much for your letter Megan! 

My biggest influences:

I know it's cliche, but it's true: my mom. I don't write about my extended family much, primarily because I don't want anyone to feel exploited or that their privacy is being invaded. But I cannot say enough about what a huge influence my mom has been on me. She homeschooled me from kindergarten through high school, and always wanted what was very best for me. She encouraged my creativity, and really allowed me to become whatever I wanted to be. She was the kind of mom that instead of fussing over the mess (even though she is borderline OCD), she just smiled and let me use all of the counter space and kitchen table for all my "art projects'...pretty much from the time I could walk. 

Feminists that have had a big influence on me are bell hooks (not capitalized intentionally), Val Plumwood, Virginia Woolf, Catherine MacKinnon, and I'm sure many others! They have each influenced me in different ways, and I love each of them.

Also, many of my Women's Studies professors have been very influential and I have so much respect and love for them!


Design influences: I would say that I am Anthropologie meets West Elm without the price tag. ; )

How has your "feminist hosuewife" life been viewed by others in your line of study?

Well, I feel like I need to clarify a few things. My blog name is very intentional: I want to put into question stereotypes about feminists, about housewives, and about people in general. I want to break down cliches and quick judgements about people. That is why I named it that. I also love the "domestic arts" and I love feminism. That being said, I'm not really a "housewife" per se. I've worked outside the home, and I plan on working outside the home for most of my life. This is not to say that I'm against SAHMs, or WAHMs, etc. I think being a mother is full-time job. Period. I just wanted to clear that up a little so that I'm not misleading.

That being said, women's studies and feminism has a wide array of people and beliefs. I cannot speak for everyone, or really anyone. But, my own personal experience has been nothing short of full support for me as a person and as a mother. My Women's Studies professors have been the most accommodating, understanding, supportive, and encouraging professors when it comes to my life outside of school. And I love that. There are obviously people who would not be as positive about my choices, but honestly, I have not come into contact with anyone who is blatantly unsupportive.

I definitely get more heat from those who are anti-feminist and generally who lean more "right" than anyone else. 

I hope that answers your question!

If you would like to drop me a line, ask me a question, or just show me a project, I would love to hear it! My email is davidandcarolineparker [at] gmail [dot] com.