Here are there I’m seeing surprise expressed at the white women players in storming the capitol.

I want to talk about that because I’m not surprised.

I’m not surprised because as a fiber artist I’ve seen these women for DECADES.

Thread.

These are the women who were tone policing knitters of color on newsgroups and mailing lists in the 1990s.

These are the women who don’t see color and just came here to do their craft thing and why does everything have to be about politics?

These are the women who were doxxing and swatting other crocheters in a group I moderated (and shut down) in 2005 on livejournal.

These are the women who, along with their hovering spouses, have open carried in my handspinning classroom.

These are the women who made lists of anti-trump fiber arts teachers and circulated those for harassment.

These are the women who post reviews on Amazon saying “she’s a racist who banned me because I’m white.”

These are the women who hate it when someone says “fuck.”

These are the WHITE WOMEN who say “stop the hate! This is supposed to be about the knitting.” Or spinning or weaving or whatever.

So one thing about the use of titles thing is: where I live we all call each other by titles unless we are close friends and family.

Anybody I have a professional relationship with, or a coworker, or a neighbor.

Like this morning I’m headed to the dentist ...

...with a private car driver I have known for a year and a half, and I said buenos días señor Ronny, and he said buenos días señora Abby.

If I just called him Ronny then since we aren’t super close I would be signaling a perceived class status difference also.

For sure anybody who is a professional person I always address with their title as well so as not to be implying a perceived intimacy that isn’t there.

Same if I’m referring to them in absentia, in which case I may refer to even my family and close friends thus, like

“My dentist, la doctora Marleni, is the sister of one of my best friends and the cousin of several others and our families have always been close.”

We also call each other titles out of affection and in a teasing way. I get called “boss” when it’s my turn to take blame or...

...buy the next case of beer.

Also there are titles for tradesfolk. I could be the boss but if there’s a construction guy fixing the walkway or something I’m gonna call him maestro out of respect for his expertise and because that’s his title.