Are flowers a feminist issue?

[JoeMommuh]

Driving fast the florist earlier and this thought popped into my mind. I like flowers in the house (rare treat) they look pretty and nice in their vase...special

My DH buys me flowers for special occasions when he remembers and i'm always happy... but why?? If I bought him flowers he'd be non-plussed.

I cannot think of a SINGLE man who would like to be bought a bunch of flowers for their home. normally this suggests to me gender conditioning by society. But i LIKE flowers... or do i?? i'm now questioning if i actually like them or i'm just told I should like them because i'm a laydee

I'm over thinking aren't i? But why would be never buy a man a bunch of flowers on their birthday?

I hate the flower industry.

Woman in east Africa suffer terrible health problems from the pesticides and weed killers the use in the flower industry, so rich western woman can be given useless short term gifts,

That is a far more important issue than how many times they get given to men.

I like to be given flowers and I am a man. I like arranging them in a vase. I like house plants too and gardening. DW hasn't got a clue. Not her thing.

Surely it is only a feminist issue if it is only one way not the other and there is an expectation that flowers and only flowers must be bought for the female?

I don't buy my OH flowers, I give him rose bushes and other plants for his garden. He has bought me roses for valentines hallmark day even though I insisted we make each other a gift instead. I don't agree with hallmark day at all too much pressure for men to conform and be perfect as well as the fact I feel showing love and appreciation is an everyday not a one day thing but he insists. Part of me think he has been conditioned to but I don't feel bad because I do not expect him to go all out and I do reciprocate with my own gift. yes he knows my views, agrees but still insists.

yes, I have even bought him chocolates. Nut allergy so finding a box of chocs that are nut free is a miracle and has to be done just for the sheer novelty of sharing a box without a potential trip to A&E!

Charis - I hadn't thought about that (although I generally buy Chrysanthemums which I think are generally European grown) - I will ensure that the flowers I buy come from the UK from now on.

The Netherlands has probably the largest flower producing industry in the world.

I've bought flowers for men. I think there is a lot of conditioning about who it is acceptable to give flowers to, but I think men like them as much as women. One of my favourite photos of my father is of him smelling the roses growing round the door.

Daffodils, sweet williams and gladioli are often British - M&S and Sainsbury's certainly tell you when they are.

Hmmm, I do think that women in general do prefer pretty things like flowers more than men though. I'm not sure if this is conditioning though.

I'm with you charis the damage that the flower industry is doing in developing countries is horrendous and no one seems to give a hoot about it.

I have always bought flowers for the Significant Other in my life. Without fail I have always been the first woman ever to give them flowers, and without fail they have been surprised and pleased. Make of that what you will