What a baby sweater has to do with HIV

"Grandmotherhood Now" is both a category here and a concept I like to discuss with my peers.   At the outset the women I address are those who believe they have political concerns.  Most are comfortably retired, do not have to worry about how to pay living expenses in the years ahead.

And they call themselves, when asked, "feminists."  As in, "Of course I'm a feminist."  When I was a younger feminist, I had thought it would become an easy self-definition for many of us as we aged.  But no, I still startle others by calling myself one. 

Being a grandmother who is a feminist carries much responsibility.  I am unable to ease into mindlessness about the impact of our current state of affairs on the lives of my grandchildren.  Like the implosion of HIV/AIDS in the world, in the city where I live.  Not ingenuous enough to believe that knitting Condom Amulets equals finding a cure, I see my role as nudge [Wikipedia disappointed, so here's a better definition from Reverso that includes "nudger." ]

So I give you these words from another older, feminist blogger, The Crone Speaks.  The link takes you to recent information about the resurgence of syphllis (remember when?) and the connection with abstinence education and our government's wish-it-away attitude toward condom promotion.

Grandmas need to talk about safe sex...with congressman, their grown children who are parents, with 50-plus dating friends of both sexes.  How would you tweak this notion of Grandmotherhood Now, a sub-cateory of The Society of Little Red Hens. 

First photo, above, is recent sweater for Roxie.  Pattern is by Minnowknits (Confetti #190QK), seed stitch band added at bottom and sleeves. Classic Elite Four Seasons 70 cotton/30 wool with a little Plymouth Encore  (pink/white).  Vintage buttons.

To the left, Emergency Preparedness Condom Amulet.  Designed to hang on hook in bedroom. Cut open net cover to release.

Comments

[Kay Dennison]

I agree! One thing my ex and I agreed upon was that we discussed this sort of thing with our children and we did and there were no unwanted pregnancies or diseases. I think my son and his wife will do the same. She is a pharmacist and well aware of these problems.

[Rachel]

Very cool new amulet!

[Junebugg]

I love the Condom Amulet! I'm a single 51 year old grandmother and I couldn't agree with you more. I'm glad you dropped by, sorry it took me a while, I was out of town and just noticed your comment. Drop by any time

[archcrone]

Several months ago, my local paper ran an article on the rise of STD's among elders, and the need for more sexual education in senior centers and assisted living settings, as well as doctors being urged to take a pro-active stance on sexual education with their older sexually active patients.

The weird thing is, some of the local bloggers treated the article with quite a bit of amusement. Here were "mid-lifers" treating sex among elders as if they were still adolescents that could not picture their parents or grandparents having sex.