Radical homemaking

Traditional, or not?

By Culinate staff

April 26, 2010

The Oregonian’s Leslie Cole recently interviewed Shannon Hayes, who has a book out titled Radical Homemakers: Reclaiming Domesticity from a Consumer Culture. The idea behind the book? That being domestic can be radical, not merely traditional. As Cole writes:

The women and men Hayes profiles in her new book strive to eat locally, live on less, and untether themselves from a consumption-driven culture. They cook more, shop little, and make do with what they have. They strive to view decisions through the lens of family, community, planet, and social justice.

Cole goes on to profile a few Portlanders who exemplify the radical-homemaking ideal, including Sarah Gilbert, Chris Musser, and Gretchan Jackson. No radical-homemaking guys, though — for that, you’ll have to read Hayes’ book.