Why is everyone gushing over Tom Daley knitting?

[EastWestWhosBest]

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

I doubt he’s challenging gender stereotypes for the benefit of women though, it’s something he enjoys and he’s being praised for so nothing revolutionary going on.

@stairway

I doubt he’s challenging gender stereotypes for the benefit of women though, it’s something he enjoys and he’s being praised for so nothing revolutionary going on.

But so what? If it encourages some young men to take up knitting as a hobby, what’s the harm?

The deletions on this thread! We’re not allowed to express how we feel about the exploitation of women, the intentional traumatising of mothers and babies by separating them without the reasonable cause of child protection and the commodification of humanity by turning babies into consumer products now?!

I never said there was any harm to young men going on, although the more positive publicity he gets the more he can push his surrogacy agenda if he wishes too.

@stairway

I never said there was any harm to young men going on, although the more positive publicity he gets the more he can push his surrogacy agenda if he wishes too.

That’s quite a leap. He made a very inspirational speech (again, I’m not a fan, but if I was a very young gay man I’d probably find it inspiring) about how welcome he’s felt being an Olympian, the importance of being yourself and finding your family and so on - he didn’t mention surrogacy.

I’m amazed he’s only been knittinf since last March and can incorporate patterns in the knit! I couldn’t get the hang of knitinf at all and can only crochet basic things

I’m sure he is a very inspiring person, I cannot get over the exploitation and the harm changing surrogacy laws could have on UK women. He seems nice and people look up to him, it is a concern for me the influence he could have.

Tomorrow knitting in his crying women PJs

I'm having a really hard time seeing the 'where's the harm?' perspective when every critical reference to TD's surrogacy involvement and advocacy has been deleted. I really don't know what to say to those of you cooing over the nice man knitting in that context. But by all means tut at me for being narrow minded or whatever.

Tom. Why does my autocucumber always correct tom to tomorrow?

It's not really cute. It's just knitting.

@FloralBunting

I'm having a really hard time seeing the 'where's the harm?' perspective when every critical reference to TD's surrogacy involvement and advocacy has been deleted. I really don't know what to say to those of you cooing over the nice man knitting in that context. But by all means tut at me for being narrow minded or whatever.

You’re not being narrow minded, you’re being belligerent.

He’s not causing harm by knitting. He is causing harm by buying into surrogacy.

The cooing I've seen has mainly been related to the fact that he apparently auctions off his finished knitted creations to raise money for charity. I haven't checked the veracity of that, but that's what is being gushed about on the craft groups I'm on.

I haven't seen any gushing, tbh.

This feels like quite a nasty post.

God forbid I have a feminist opinion about him that I defend on a feminist message board. Checking out now. We've obviously got a very different perspective on challenging stereotypes, and I've expended enough energy disagreeing with you, which I still do. I'll leave it by pointing out that nothing about TD knitting publicly or getting very excited about it liberates women. Which is the thrust of the feminism I understand.

@FloralBunting

God forbid I have a feminist opinion about him that I defend on a feminist message board. Checking out now. We've obviously got a very different perspective on challenging stereotypes, and I've expended enough energy disagreeing with you, which I still do. I'll leave it by pointing out that nothing about TD knitting publicly or getting very excited about it liberates women. Which is the thrust of the feminism I understand.

It’s not about women’s response though, it’s what he can do to challenge toxic masculinity. As I said, you’re just being belligerent.

@DaisiesandButtercups

The deletions on this thread! We’re not allowed to express how we feel about the exploitation of women, the intentional traumatising of mothers and babies by separating them without the reasonable cause of child protection and the commodification of humanity by turning babies into consumer products now?!

This with big clanging bells on.

@Snoozer11

I haven't seen any gushing, tbh.

This feels like quite a nasty post.

What is nasty about it?

I’m asking why is it when a man does something that is usually perceived as a female thing some people carry on like it’s the most amazing thing. It’s no comment on him.
I wonder the same when people comment on my DH doing the ironing.

cor, some people really love Tom Daley don't they?

I’m asking why is it when a man does something that is usually perceived as a female thing some people carry on like it’s the most amazing thing.

It’s because not enough men do it. That’s it. It’s a rarity.

How is renting a woman's womb 'challenging toxic masculinity' @Pumperthepumper? Or does the fact that he knits wipe out his misogyny?

I’m not. I can’t warm to him.

@Clymene

How is renting a woman's womb 'challenging toxic masculinity' *@Pumperthepumper*? Or does the fact that he knits wipe out his misogyny?

It isn’t. And it doesn’t.

But an openly gay man in the public eye doing a traditionally female hobby, proudly, is definitely challenging toxic masculinity.

At no point have I said he’s the poster boy for wiping out misogyny.

Men have been knitting since forever 🤷‍♀️