Saira Workshop

I'm tired.
I barely post because I'm tired.
I barely craft either. I don't have time for almost anything. Living on art is difficult. Living on art being a woman is even harder.
On first line, it doesn't seem so. Leathercraft is very varied, all genres have their place with leather, and I barely show my face on media anyway, is easy to ignore that I'm a woman.
But real life is not so forgiving.

#8m #leathercraft

Mar 8 at 10:38pmWeb
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 8
I started being this tired when I had to move back to my parents home to take care of my grandma. My mom was working very hard already on home caretaking, and there was no way my dad or even my brother would do such a chore! Caretaking is not for men! So I spent 3 years trying to juggle crafting, nursing and looking for a "real job". Then my dad got sick too. And I started juggling crafting, nursing, nursing more and searching.
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 8
By the time both passed away, 2 years later, I had lost hope of finding a "real job", so I tried to use my caretaking experience to get an stable incoming. And I was successful! But that means my "grown up job" is physically, mentally and emotionally draining. A woman's job, undermined, neglected and disrespected in general, and specially reflected on the working conditions...
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 8
So when I get home, I barely have energy remaining. And that little one is burnt trying to learn to carry out the little reforms needed on a new place. And I'm sure I would be faster and more efficient if my dad had accepted to teach me how to do them. But why I, the little girl of four, would need to know that, when I have a bigger brother that would do it in case my dad was gone? Well, funny, maybe in case my bigger brother decided to never show up during the moving or accepted to help at all
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 8
And watching to my fellow crafters I realized: when I talk to a male mate, he may struggle with another job too, dividing his time and energy between both. But EVERYTIME I met a female mate, she has to take care of children, the house, some elder familiar, work outside home... and then try to catch up on the leather department. It's not a particular case or some coincidences: it's the norm. Society has still a lot of things to improve, starting from the very base of caretaking in regular life
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 8
Yes, I'm tired. Most of women are really tired. All the time. And we, as a community, are still failing addressing why.
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 8
Bonus: I'm already exhausted of seeing the world burning to ashes and watching the ones that could change that only adding fuel for greed or pride, but that's a kind of tiredness common to any human being with basic empathy, I think. Fucking hell...
Show threadNeaCirkadiaMar 8
@sairaworkshop 🫂
Show threadAbe the HonestMar 9
@sairaworkshop 🫂🫂🫂🫂
Show threadChrystyne NovackMar 9
@sairaworkshop 🫂 🫂 I hear you on the tired - sorry to hear about your struggles - all I can say is just hang in there. On the crap that is happening right now on world stage - exhausted (and angry) on that crap too.
Show threadcatraxx Mar 16
@sairaworkshop The things you create are amazing! I hope more people see this.
Show threadSaira WorkshopMar 16
@catraxx Oh, thanks so much for your kind words 
Show threadcatraxx Mar 16
@sairaworkshop I mean it, too. I helped make larp weapons and armor back in the day, i know exactly how much work it is.