Have you read news articles such as this one about a recent study showing that doing housework decreases the risk of breast cancer?
Give me a fucking break!
Okay, so the point of the study is that regular moderate exercise is better than more strenous, less frequent exercise. Point taken. But, the headlines scream HOUSEWORK! Not, MODERATE EXERCISE.
So...great! In our dimwitted cultural imagination, this will become simply another reason to blame a woman for her cancer! You know, if you hadn't let those dishes pile up and your floor go unswept, maybe we wouldn't have to chop off your breasts and shoot you full of poison. This'll teach you to take better care of your house and husband and children.
I like a tidy house, so maybe I'll avoid the breast cancer plague. But what about women who work 3 jobs and don't have time to clean their houses (or apartments or the place that they found to sleep for the night) or participate in other regular moderate exercise?
Also, is it really all about the exercise, or might it be the clean living space that helps avoid cancer? Just what the hell is in our dust? Pollutants, maybe? Maybe we could talk about more stringent environmental regulations? No way, because then the blame could not be pinned to individual women.
To certain news writers, I say, take this broom and shove it.
[Also, don't get me started on how women will now be encouraged to clean house instead of participate in sports or other regular non-cleaning exercise.]
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what about all of the other studies that say that women's continual exposure to household cleaners can cause breast cancer?
beth's cat got really sick this summer and needed emergency surgery. when we asked what might have caused his illness, the vet said flat out, Lysol products. in order to have these clean houses, we're spraying toxins all over. and if it almost killed her cat, it's not healthy for humans either!
since then, we've thrown away all of our cleaning products, and we only use naturual products with tea tree oil as the cleaning agent (there's a company that my sister does some work with that sells them-- i can give you more info if you're interested)
anyway, sorry its taken so long for me to comment-- i read this a while back and meant to agree with you much sooner! i was going to link to it from my journal, but haven't actually gotten around to a real update yet. in a few minutes we're leaving for CT to look for apartments (again!) so hopefully after i find something i'll actually have time to write.
also, the wrist warmers are awesome! we saw an almost identical pair of the ones that you made for us which were selling for $60 at a store around here.
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