The politics of the kitchen sink

Sally Howard blends qualitative research, academic literature, pop culture and history with her own lived experience to bring politics to where it truly belongs-the kitchen sink

Even for the most optimistic feminists, parenthood is the time when biology and politics conspire to turn the childhood motto, “Girls can do anything!” into “Women must do everything”. As the lockdown forces households across the country to reflect upon the gendering of housework, it seems appropriate to read Sally Howard’s new book,  The Home Stretch. She blends qualitative research, academic literature, pop culture and history with her own lived experience to bring politics to where it truly belongs—the kitchen sink. 

Ms Howard starts with the obvious: Why, after all these years, has feminism suffered so many “micro-defeats” at home?