Den genusbärande slöjden - En väv av socialt, ekonomiskt och kulturellt kapital

Abstract

This study examines how various crafts are linked to the performer's gender and discusses the various factors that lead to the prevailing gender division between hard and soft crafts. Woodworking and metal crafts are labeled as hard in a tactile way and textile crafts as soft. In the questionnaire that was done, it was clear that young craftspersons today fall under the norm of what is considered feminine and masculine craft . Those who identify themselves as craftsmen use hard materials while those who identify themselves as craftswomen uses soft. However there was a clear trend for both sexes to practice leather crafts as well as handicrafts in techniques attributed the other gender. Another aspect that the survey showed was that those who considered themselves to belong to a different gender identity than just a man or woman practiced crafts more freely from the gender norm. The respondents were selected from a group of craftspersons believed too essentially craft items in order to use them. This proved to be wrong, almost all respondents answered that they worked with crafts to find an outlet for their creativity, and it was a way for them to feel good physically and psychologically. Based on the survey results, one can see how handicrafts are used performative to define a person's gender. It also becomes clear how this can be used practically to question and reformulate someone’s gender . The study has mainly produced materials of scientific value to previously existed theories. It is thus a basis for further studies both in gender studies, performativity and crafts. With the paper as a basis, it is possible to continue to explore how handicrafts associate with gender. The paper can also be used to explain why and how handicrafts are distributed across gender and the assigned value to different types of crafts.