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| Women Dig for Victory Poster, WWII, courtesy of UK Historical Archives |
I like it, for the message it's trying to send, but do you think it might be viewed as a bit sexist in today's times? This was from WWII, the British "Dig for Victory" campaign, so it was a different time period and a different world they lived in. Of course, men were the ones in the military at that time, so women were left at home to care for the family and other things, so the campaign directed this toward them.
The purpose was to remind people that farmers were growing the other essential crops and that they needed to grow the vegetables for their kids' nutrition. I do like the suggestion to turn your garden over to vegetables, and get the "older" children to help. DO IT NOW. Ha, can't go wrong with that.
As always, a nice glimpse into our not too distant past.
I love all these vintage posters. But they just make me a little sad that our government used to do so much to encourage food production, and now they do so much to take away our rights to produce our own food. Sigh. I want to go back. I can even put up with a little sexism to live in a world with out corporate chemical farms ;)
ReplyDeletehaha. :) I like that Jane!
DeleteSo true, sad, but oh so true. It really does blow my mind that they don't really push gardening more, I was hoping with the White House having a "First Garden" for the first time in years, things might change but alas, nothing really trickled down. It's all about big business and that's it. Sad.
Deletei don't find it sexist at all...and certainly not at all for the times. if you read this from a certain point of view - it is calling women to power. it is saying - women - the men are off fighting but there is a lot that you can do, too! i find it very empowering...and again - especially for the times. it gave women a way to contribute to the war effort, it made women feel that their strength was needed. i find nothing sexist about this at all. and i wish that all feminists today would heed this call. imagine if every woman that you knew who was a feminist, went and planted an organic victory garden? by golly - i think that we would be able, at the very least, to feed some people some good food. i'm not even talking about changing the world!
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
Wow, nicely said Kymber! I couldn't have said it better myself. It would be very empowering, and you're so right, if that was done today, even by a few, it would feed some people some great food! Good thoughts, thank you!
DeleteI agree with kymber-I don't find it sexist, more like empowering. Now, as Jane says, the government (read:corporations) are taking our rights to produce our own bit by bit.
ReplyDeleteLove the poster. Wish I had lived in THOSE times!
She said it nicely didn't she. Every Sunday when I put up these that I find, it just amazes me how much they tried to get people involved and I just see NONE of that now (current blogging community not included in that statement of course).
DeleteThis poster is fantastic! I, too, think it is empowering! I mean really, not just anyone can handle all the work required of growing a proper veggie patch :-) Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it. I love hearing the comments, especially from all the wonderful female gardeners out there. But hey, even with us guys (3rd Shift Man included) doing it too, at least we're all trying and/or doing something about it. Even small things are better than nothing. A few plants or herbs here and there would be so inspirational to people who are scared of it.
DeleteI agree with Jane, government doesn't encourage anyone to do anything for themselves anymore. And, w/kymber Women empowerment is a GOOD thing.
ReplyDeleteB-T-W, I kept wondering why your updates weren't showing in my Blog list. I just noticed I had never signed up to follow you - duh. Well now I am!
Love the poster.
Well first of all, WELCOME! Sorry the blog list thing didn't work at first, it's weird sometimes. I joing new blogs all the time and I'm still figuring out how to make the blogroll list on the side update with new places I follow.
DeleteIsn't it sad that the goverment doesn't encourage even home gardening? They pretty much turned their back on the large scale farmers too. Very sad. And the corporatization of American continues. Maybe that's why so many of us want to go back to a simpler existence.
Thanks again for following!! Welcome!
The perception of gardeners being woman and farmers being male is curious.
ReplyDeleteNever thought about that. Interesting. Is there a specific definition (sex not included) of what is a farmer and what's a gardener? Maybe size? Still though, interesting that the perception is out there huh?
DeleteHi!
ReplyDeleteI am writing a term paper about "Dig for victory". I would like to use the picture but I can't find the source...
I would be very thankful when you sent me the link to this picture from the UK historical achieves.
Thanks!!
I just checked and the website (this was 4 years ago) has changed significatnly. They have different poster images. Here is the link:
Deletehttp://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/education/resources/home-front/
Being a school lesson plan, it could be that they've changed it over the years. These old poster images are public domain they all date from the 1940's. You might also try:
http://www.iwm.org.uk
That's the war museum online, they have a bunch of images and may have this one.
I looked to see what I could find, like I said I think it's just changed over the years. Looks to me like they redesigned their website.
Good luck!!!
Thank you for looking it up!
DeleteWhat a pity that they have changed their website.
Greetings from Germany :-)