THE 'UGLY' SIDE OF TEXTILES, SEWING, EMBROIDERY

Notice anything about this map? This, is a typical 'map siting' for logging visitors on most women authored blogs here in the West, that have to do with sewing, needlepoint, art, textiles, etc. IF there was any image that can show the Stark Contrast of 'class and privilege' on a Geo-Political Scale--THIS IS IT.

Now, you would Think, that many would simply take notice of this map and maps like it all over the blog world and See that there is a Huge GAP,

but sadly, many not only do NOT notice, many flat out don't care. And THIS is the Ugly Side of Textiles--the Mommy Blogger World--the Indie Businesses and Embroidery-Needle Works world. This is the World that most avoid 'talking' about because to talk about it means one has to 1. look at it, and 2. see where 'they' themselves fit into this world gap. Not so pretty and pastel then,

add to that, that on the side of the world where there are the Most Visitors to 'art-craft-sewing' blogs to that where it lays white and blank--Ironically, it is in those white and blank areas where the Majority of

1. sweat shops and slave camps are that are yes, mostly Women and Children working in them

2. trafficking routes [including To the U.S.A.]

3. environmental abuses, including dyes with chemicals made by children, who are Forced to use hands/feet working with extremely Toxic chemicals Banned in the West, to make those 'pretty fabrics' that we buy-sell here for a fraction meanwhile the dyers in those nations, many of them small children, die of horrid diseases From working with those chemicals for Starvation wages, IF they get a wage

4. not including the environmental damages, etc., to land and water...also cash crops for mass cotton that Could be used for Food

5. child slavery in cotton, etc, weaving, piece meal work, etc. ie. lace, embroidery, etc

And while we are here, with the beauty and frilly dainty things, With the time, it takes...why yes, in Today's world, though there ARE exceptions to this rule--the majority of the time, those women who do spend hours upon hours sewing, in art, etc., are married, are upper to middle class, and well--they have the 'privilege' while the other women are working, many in manual-blue collar labor, not having much choice But to shop at low end stores with the few hours a month of free time they might have and That's a big IF--IF they have the funds to do so, etc,etc,etc...in other words, there IS, YES, YES, YES, a HUGE

CLASS DIFFERENCE,


make NO mistake about it--with a FEW exceptions...though those exceptions, such as myself [low income, living in a mobile home, etc] ARE a minority--a small one at that.

But even I, am PRIVILEGED, in Start Contrast to the millions of women, who Don't blog, who Don't have the resources, time, to sew or even Think about the beauty we have here because Their world, Isn't pastel or lace or dainty or serenity, NO, not even,

their worlds are harsh, cruel, often bloody, violent, impoverished, void of vision. IS it because they are less brilliant or not as 'inspired', NO,

NO, and NO.

What is worse--is just How much of Their dark dreary world--is the Result, of OUR world--pillaging their world. Oh yes, kid your self not, we, in the West, have a LONG history of policies that have not only supported some of the worst despots but have PAID tax dollars to fuel and train militias, police terror, to protect precious resources,

resources fought over, in land grabs and power grabs, with Women and Children paying THE ultimate price--with their own BLood,

while, we,

enjoy the 'fruits' of it. And as a result--we sew, we do needlepoint, we create, and we chat and we share and we take pretty pictures...oh, sure, now and then, we might do an odd project here and there, for a charity--of course its Always mentioned, blogged about--its Good PR and its DAMN GOOD FOR BUSINESS,

yea, the Privilege UGLY side of the Textile world.

And I'm a part of it...well, small part--I am not 'IN' business yet,

but hey, I still benefit, from the resources that I DO have access too--so I'm just a part of it as every one else--So my point here, is NOT to heap up loads of guilt, no,

but to GET WOMEN TO THINK.

To really THINK, ABOUT THE GAP--THE WIDE GAP

AND TO ASK

WHY?

And why, in 2010, is it Still this way AND WHAT CAN WE 'DO' ABOUT IT, TO CHANGE IT?

DO WE CARE TO CHANGE IT?

That--fellow women, Is the Purpose OF this blog--for Both Women of Faith and Women in the Textile world [who may not necessarily be women who share the same faith]

but THAT is the Purpose of this blog--to use the Needle, to use the Pen, combined,

from a Grass Roots level,

to confront the Injustices, the Wide Gap--and

DO SOMETHING--TO BEGIN TO

CHANGE IT.

Somehow, someway--and NOT for a Public Relations project to 'boost business' [and I can't stand that btw] or to promote Etsy or any other conglomerates OR to be used as a Propaganda 'tool' to push political Ideologies, i.e. labor groups, political parties. [note: I have no problem with businesses that Do have a 'core' charity they work with All the time, want to note that here...its those, who will 'take' and 'exploit' issues, esp women, to boost Sales--THOSE I do take issue with...and it is one of the Biggest reasons I have put off the business I was wanting to create, For that reason, How to combine profit--because I have loans to pay, bills--and what I really Do care about--women's human rights and ending poverty--without exploiting misery, to do so--there are some real Ethics there, that I believe are simply not thought about enough--and they need to be. On the other hand--it takes Resources, funds, to Help, you know, its a double edged sword, I'm still trying to work out the ethics on that one, including IN my artwork, which does portray women around the globe, but HOW to do this, while preserving Dignity, without exploitation. Not an easy task, by no means...]

but to Get Real Focus, on many issues, that DO effect Millions of Girls and Women around the world.

I will say, it seems from my research that many photographers and painters Have been able to branch out more into this area, but there is a real Lack of this, in Textiles, and I believe it Is because, the Textile world in and of itself, is one of the Most exploitative worlds when it comes to exploiting the labor--of women and children,

the Feminization of Poverty.

On the other hand, the 'unions' and labor and more Radical of ideologies, have also exploited, by stripping and Demonizing women's work--while esteeming traditional 'male' values such as industry, and War, i.e. girls as combatants and sex slaves, Nepal, Sri Lanka, etc., why I can't stand 'that' side of the Deconstruction either...

its even More misogynist.


Question is, Can women in the Two Worlds unite--bridging together, to create Real Solutions?

They can't--if the privileged side, continues to remain in a protected pastel pink bubble--that works just as well as the Iron Red Curtain,

with the empty white spaces on the map--are shut off, in their worlds of hell.

They can't reach to us...but We, can reach to them,

all it takes,

IS THE WANT TO.

Solidarity,

Jane