Knitting has been unfairly characterised as the friendless hobby of the elderly, or at best people who are really into Doctor Who cosplay.
But the facts show otherwise. Lovers of the soft-craft arts have been among the most politicised, from AIDS quilting to pussy hats for womens rights, and that legacy has continued with the news that Ravelry – an online group for knitters – have banned open Trump support in the group.
In a post titled New Policy: Do Not Post In Support of Trump or his Administration they explain that “We cannot provide a space that is inclusive of all and also allow support for open white supremacy. Support of the Trump administration is undeniably support for white supremacy.”
And their policy makes clear they are not into persecuting people for their beliefs, that this doesn’t apply to conservatives generally or right-wingers as a group, and that vigilante behaviour is not OK.
They are against white supremacy and that only, and make the entirely reasonable point that Trump falls into that category.
So yes: a knitting group has said the thing that no other social media has apparently had the ovaries to say, and enacted a policy that more services purporting to traffic in inclusivity would do well to implement.
Needless to say, cool guys have been slamming the group on Twitter and hoping that their business fails, which sort of misunderstands how hobbies work but hey, sick burn brah.
Anyway, between now and when 4Chan start doxxing the site’s moderators, let’s salute Ravelry and their anti-racism stance.
The revelation will not be television, but it will be snuggly and warm.