By Denise Nembhard, home economics teacher, Coquitlam
For a long time, home economics has been plagued by gender-based stereotypes. It was, and continues to be, viewed as a subject area that focuses on teaching girls the skills they need to be good wives and mothers. However, home economics allows students the unique opportunity to address and challenge gender stereotypes that exist in society, because it is a subject that deals with the everyday lives of individuals, families, and communities.
As teachers, we know language matters. We are mindful of this when we address our classes, replacing “boys and girls” or “guys” with gender-inclusive, non-binary terms. Changing the language that we use in many aspects of sewing, food preparation, and caregiving, helps reinforce that a variety of people sew, cook, and care for others.
Words that are traditionally used for those who sew, such as seamstress, dressmaker, and tailor, are gendered terms and reference sewing only as an occupation. Sewing is connected to identity; therefore, assumptions we make about people who use this craft can speak volumes. Home economics teachers actively work to counter the assumption that only women sew. The Textiles Learning Standards intentionally uses the term “sewists” to refer to those who sew. It is a gender-neutral term that is a combination of sewer and artist (and looks a lot better than the term “sewer”).
Images matter as well. Intentionally using and sharing images from hashtags such as #dopemensew and #queersewing highlight the diversity of individuals who sew for themselves and others. I deliberately search for images of non-gender specific body parts when demonstrating how to measure. After all, a waist is a waist—does it matter on which body it is found?
For textiles classes, there are increasing numbers of independent pattern companies releasing gender-neutral patterns, which means that students can create clothing and other textile items that allow them to embrace their gender expression. Boxer shorts and PJ pants, a staple of Grade 8 sewing projects, are chosen by home economics teachers because they are gender-neutral projects all students can create, no matter their gender identification.
Modifying a sewing pattern, part of the learning standards, provides another opportunity for students to explore gender identity and expression. For example, students can alter a pattern for someone who wears a binder. The design thinking lens of applied design, skills, and technologies, under which home economics falls, gives students even more freedom and permission to alter, modify, and create patterns and textile items that express who they are and how they want to present themselves to others.
Too often, fashion is thought of as frivolous. It is viewed as little more than people spending money on items they do not need. But clothing allows people to express themselves daily, and Fashion Industry 12 is a course in which students can challenge how clothing can conform to and fight against gender norms. For example, school dress codes often disproportionately focus on what female students are wearing, sexualizing them and policing their bodies. From the width of tank top straps, to the length of shorts, it’s usually girls who are told that their outfits are distracting.
Fashion industry students can create school dress codes that remove these gendered “rules” and critically examine other areas of our lives where expectations vary for different gender identities. Students can help normalize and highlight not only gender-neutral fashions, but fashions that run in contrast to what Western societies deem as “acceptable” for men and women’s clothing, such as certain types of garments, colours, and even expressing an interest or disinterest in fashion.
Other home economics classes, beyond textiles, also work to explore the effects of gender roles. Food studies classes challenge expectations on women to prepare food for their families and themselves. In child development and caregiving courses, students examine different caregiving situations and push back on stereotypes of women as nurturing mothers who are solely responsible for raising children.
We need to continue concerted efforts to help normalize the idea that sewing, caregiving, and food preparation are not primarily women’s responsibilities—the ramifications of which have been demonstrated during this pandemic. If as a society we believe in the importance of successful families, in all their glorious forms, we need to emphasize that everyone, regardless of gender, shares responsibility in the work to make those families successful.
To quote Joe Tong, home economics teacher and adjunct professor in the Home Economics Education Department at UBC, “If home eco-nomics education is everyday life skills education, then it’s where we will challenge injustices in everyday life.” Our classes have embraced this challenge.