Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Feminism: chat

Original poster

Why is everyone gushing over Tom Daley knitting?

138 replies

EastWestWhosBest · 02/08/2021 14:36

Man does a thing considered to be female and everyone is losing their minds over how ‘cute’ it is.

OP posts:
FloralBunting · 02/08/2021 17:05

Grand. Can't say I'm particularly invested in promoting knitting from a feminist perspective, but I'm more than a little pissy about misogynist Olympians at the moment, so please excuse my lack of enthusiasm.

(Not a personal dig, btw, I'm just really, really hacked off with the shite today)

lazylinguist · 02/08/2021 16:56

I'm not remotely interested in patting TD on the back (and didn't know about the surrogacy until this thread). I'm interested in people seeing that knitting is for everyone.

BernardBlackMissesLangCleg · 02/08/2021 16:56

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Faceicle · 02/08/2021 16:53

I can't get footage of the Olympics from where I am. How are Tom's eyebrows looking?

FloralBunting · 02/08/2021 16:50

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

lazylinguist · 02/08/2021 16:45

We should probably also be thankful that nobody seems to be suggesting that TD is obviously a woman because he likes knitting. Wink

lazylinguist · 02/08/2021 16:43

I think it’s great! I wish more men would do stuff like this, it’s challenging toxic masculinity and traditional gender roles.

I agree, and I'm not remotely interested in TD. I find it a bit odd when people react to a man doing a traditionally hobby by saying things like "Oh are we supposed to think it's cool now that a man's doing it? Because obviously anything women (especially older women) like is obviously rubbish! Hmm" How are we supposed to encourage people to reject sex-based stereotypes about hobbies, jobs etc if not by pointing out good examples of people rejecting those stereotypes?

Trampolean · 02/08/2021 16:42

@Dyrne

Not a fan of the gushing over “cute-ness”; but I also don’t think it’s a bad thing when otherwise stereotypically masculine men are publicly shown to do “feminine” coded things. Hopefully it goes a bit further to chip away at the ridiculous gender stereotypes.
I agree with this, although I also agree it's a bit nauseating (I know those 2 things are at odds with eachother). Something women do and usually get mocked for, man does and aw omg how cute.
bluedomino · 02/08/2021 16:40

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

MolyHolyGuacamole · 02/08/2021 16:25

@Pumperthepumper

I think it’s great! I wish more men would do stuff like this, it’s challenging toxic masculinity and traditional gender rolls. And I’m not even a Tom Daly fan, good on him.
This.
Original poster
EastWestWhosBest · 02/08/2021 16:08

I’m all for men knitting and gender stereotypes being broken. What I’ve found to be cloying is the people fawning over him.

OP posts:
OldScrappyAndHungry · 02/08/2021 15:37

I’m a knitter. I enjoyed it being promoted for a younger audience - it wasn’t him being a man but being in his 20s.

RedToothBrush · 02/08/2021 15:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

Blurp · 02/08/2021 15:30

Wasn't there a female skier who was knitting during breaks in play in the Winter Olympics last time? I'm fairly sure it got a fair bit of coverage - at least the same amount as I've seen of Tom Daley.

ScreamingMeMe · 02/08/2021 15:30

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Quotes deleted post.

Mrsjamin · 02/08/2021 15:30

Yeah I'm not sure I can think someone's cute who is all for transwomen in sports but knows exactly what a woman is when he needs two women to donate an egg and carry his baby for 9 months.

FloralBunting · 02/08/2021 15:29

TheCountess, thanks for adding some detail. Smile Like I say, I am not currently a crafter. I didn't say primarily a man's skill though. Just meant that it wasn't a thing that only women did.

I'm pleased TD won his medal, he worked hard for it and earned it, as did his team mate. I'm sure knitters are delighted he's raised the profile of their 'elderly white lady' hobby. Be awful for them if everyone associated knitting with old women.

WhoNeedsaManOfTheWorld · 02/08/2021 15:24

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

lazylinguist · 02/08/2021 15:18

I honestly think that any athlete who knitted a 'medal cosy' would get a positive response. It's not as though all the female athletes are sharing their knitting patterns and being ignored.

Absolutely. Maybe not the mainstream media, but knitting Instagrammers often excitedly post pictures of celebs past and present knitting or wearing obviously home-knitted items. Audrey Hepburn and Julia Roberts often feature. I seem to remember one of Russell Crowe! It's not just an 'Ooh a man doing a thing that's supposed to be for old ladies' thing.

Arricle here about celebs who knit www.topcrochetpatterns.com/blog/30-celebs-you-never-knew-knitted

Mrsjayy · 02/08/2021 15:07

If a young sports woman was sitting. Knitting i would find it "cute," too

BaronMunchausen · 02/08/2021 15:07

@IvyTwines2

He's 27 now, a fully grown adult - the media reaction is becoming a bit Eoin McLove in Father Ted.
They should bake a cake for him.
merrymouse · 02/08/2021 15:06

I honestly think that any athlete who knitted a 'medal cosy' would get a positive response. It's not as though all the female athletes are sharing their knitting patterns and being ignored.

lazylinguist · 02/08/2021 15:03

I dunno. I'm a knitter. Lots of the knitters and yarn-related accounts I follow on Instagram are loving this, because it raises the profile of the craft.

Knitting has been popular with younger women (and some men) for quite a while now. The modern online knitting community is a mixture of quirky/alternative and chic these days, with lots of younger women, increasing racial diversity and some men. Definitely not just white, elderly ladies.

Pumperthepumper · 02/08/2021 15:03

I think it’s great! I wish more men would do stuff like this, it’s challenging toxic masculinity and traditional gender rolls. And I’m not even a Tom Daly fan, good on him.

Cailin66 · 02/08/2021 15:02

@Mollyollydolly

Oh this. Why when a woman knits it's boring and old fashioned. A man knits it's so cute and quirky. Not his fault but it does my head in.
Presumably it's because Tom is cute. And he also seems like a very nice person.