Scotland: Allotment sexism debate. Can women get lippy in the garden?
“It seems gardening is traditionally a women’s space but allotmenting is traditionally a male space.
By Vicky Allan
The Herald
Aug 11, 2021
Excerpt:
Can women, particularly women wearing lipstick, garden? Some people seem to be struggling with the idea that they might be able to. Lucy Bloom, a gardener, Instagrammer and Beechgrove Garden contributor who lives in Maryhill and has an allotment in Glasgow, recently went viral on social media after she responded to comments made by followers about her appearance.
As Bloom has described, she had been getting increasing numbers of messages on her Instagram account @lucy_bloom, chiefly on the posts of pictures where she was wearing make-up. She said: “The tone of the comments ranged from ‘you don’t need to do this’ or ‘it’s a workplace, you’ll get sweaty, you won’t need it.’”
So what’s the problem with the lipstick? Does it contain some secret dangerous herbicide?
Good question. The lipstick is safe, normal lipstick. But some people – and it seems like these are mostly men – have expressed their disapproval.
