Cob: Re: we're not in Kansas anymore...

[Douglas Ketler Scheffer]

Being a man, I have never taken one of Becky's workshops and I can 
not comment on the "gender specific" building knowledge that she may 
or may not impart to her students. Furthermore, I am not aware of any 
aspect of cob building that is gender specific. Becky has written a 
wonderful instruction book on Cob building, but there is no mention 
of any building tasks that would be performed better by one gender 
over another.

I believe the exclusion of men from such workshops could be the 
result of a centuries old, male dominated building industry that has 
resulted in some pretty horrifying mutations of homes and 
communities. Men also have a seemingly biological propensity to take 
over physical labor in the presence of a woman. And... as long as I 
am generalizing about men on the building site, they also have a 
tendency to drink beer, belch with out saying "excuse me," they over 
indulge in using noisy power tools and toxic chemicals, they spew 
profanities, whistle at woman and make lewd cat calls, not to mention 
their general unconsciousness of the delicate balance existing in 
nature, and their supposed inability to express true emotions. Over 
all we are can be "generalized" as some pretty ill-mannered beasts.

You would think there would be a heightened level of consciousness by 
those of us participating in a movement like natural building. You 
would think such a movement would attract men, women, and children of 
all ages and races who would simply want to fulfill a humble and 
basic desire for living simply in a natural environment and finding 
peace with themselves and their neighbors. You would also think the 
people in this movement would want to foster an environment of mutual 
respect and shared responsibility regardless of ones gender, to 
create an example of equality where we attempt to overcome the 
destructive separatist patterns that got us in this social mess in 
the first place. But don't think that, because you will be 
generalizing an entire group of people much like those who 
discriminate against someone interested in natural building because 
of their gender.

The truth is there is no equality in the act of role reversal, it is 
simply the other side of the same ugly coin. True empowerment can 
only thrive when there are adversities to overcome, and that requires 
an environment diversity. After all, we would not be natural builders 
if their were not synthetic builders out there to motivate us.

The natural act of building, creating, nurturing, and individual 
expression does not know the boundaries of gender, race or age until 
they are manifested within ones self.

I am not suggesting there is the possibility of utopian society but 
lets at least at least make an effort to accomplish a better way then 
simply reversing the age old models passed on to us.

However, I could be wrong about all of this... after all I am a man.

Douglas





>Why only women?  How would a men-only natural building workshop go over?
>Am I missing something here?
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: Kit Maloney <lunakits at yahoo.com>
>To: <coblist at deatech.com>
>Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 5:37 PM
>Subject: Cob: we're not in Kansas anymore...
>
>
>>  > From: Heather Docksteader
>>  > To: elkec at island.net
>>  >
>>  >
>>  > I have been reading about cob and other natural
>>  > building for the past year or longer and am very
>>  > interested in building our own home with cob and
>>  > recycled materials. We live in N.E. Kansas and as
>>  > far as I can tell no workshops are anywhere near.
>>
>>  the closest cob course that I've seen is one given by
>>  Groundworks. That course takes place in Arkansas and I
>>  think it is for women only. You can probably find out
>>  more from their website:
>>  www.cpros.com/~sequoia
>>
>>  good luck!
>>  Kit Maloney
>>
>>  __________________________________________________
>>  Do You Yahoo!?
>>  Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices
>>  http://auctions.yahoo.com/
>>
>>
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 --></style><title>Re: Cob: Re: we're not in Kansas
anymore...</title></head><body>
<div>Being a man, I have never taken one of Becky's workshops and I
can not comment on the "gender specific" building knowledge
that she may or may not impart to her students. Furthermore, I am not
aware of any aspect of cob building that is gender specific. Becky has
written a wonderful instruction book on Cob building, but there is no
mention of any building tasks that would be performed better by one
gender over another.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>I believe the exclusion of men from such workshops could be the
result of a centuries old, male dominated building industry that has
resulted in some pretty horrifying mutations of homes and communities.
Men also have a seemingly biological propensity to take over physical
labor in the presence of a woman. And... as long as I am generalizing
about men on the building site, they also have a tendency to drink
beer, belch with out saying "excuse me," they over indulge
in using noisy power tools and toxic chemicals, they spew profanities,
whistle at woman and make lewd cat calls, not to mention their general
unconsciousness of the delicate balance existing in nature, and their
supposed inability to express true emotions. Over all we are can be
"generalized" as some pretty ill-mannered beasts.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>You would think there would be a heightened level of
consciousness by those of us participating in a movement like natural
building. You would think such a movement would attract men, women,
and children of all ages and races who would simply want to fulfill a
humble and basic desire for living simply in a natural environment and
finding peace with themselves and their neighbors. You would also
think the people in this movement would want to foster an environment
of mutual respect and shared responsibility regardless of ones gender,
to create an example of equality where we attempt to overcome the
destructive separatist patterns that got us in this social mess in the
first place.<b> But don't think that,</b> because you will be
generalizing an entire group of people much like those who
discriminate against someone interested in natural building because of
their gender.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>The truth is there is no equality in the act of role reversal, it
is simply the other side of the same ugly coin. True empowerment can
only thrive when there are adversities to overcome, and that requires
an environment diversity. After all, we would not be natural builders
if their were not synthetic builders out there to motivate us.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>The natural act of building, creating, nurturing, and individual
expression does not know the boundaries of gender, race or age until
they are manifested within ones self.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>I am not suggesting there is the possibility of utopian society
but lets at least at least make an effort to accomplish a better way
then simply reversing the age old models passed on to us.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>However, I could be wrong about all of this... after all I am a
man.</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Douglas</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>  </div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<div><br></div>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Why only women?  How would a
men-only natural building workshop go over?</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Am I missing something here?</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite><br></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>----- Original Message -----</blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>From: Kit Maloney
<lunakits at yahoo.com></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>To:
<coblist at deatech.com></blockquote>
<blockquote type="cite" cite>Sent: Tuesday, April 17, 2001 5:37 PM<br>
Subject: Cob: we're not in Kansas anymore...<br>
<br>
<br>
> > From: Heather Docksteader<br>
> > To: elkec at island.net<br>
> ><br>
> ><br>
> > I have been reading about cob and other natural<br>
> > building for the past year or longer and am very<br>
> > interested in building our own home with cob and<br>
> > recycled materials. We live in N.E. Kansas and as<br>
> > far as I can tell no workshops are anywhere near.<br>
><br>
> the closest cob course that I've seen is one given by<br>
> Groundworks. That course takes place in Arkansas and I<br>
> think it is for women only. You can probably find out<br>
> more from their website:<br>
> www.cpros.com/~sequoia<br>
><br>
> good luck!<br>
> Kit Maloney<br>
><br>
> __________________________________________________<br>
> Do You Yahoo!?<br>
> Yahoo! Auctions - buy the things you want at great prices<br>
> http://auctions.yahoo.com/<br>
><br>
></blockquote>
<div><br></div>
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