Why I Love DIY

I was going to start this post with a disclaimer, something along the lines of being a novice DIYer. But thinking about it, I realised this isn't the case. Some where along the way arts n' crafts done at Girl Guide camps tunred into DIY. Perhaps when I was a rebellious 14 year-old, hand sewing my jeans to be as tapered as possible and cutting and dying my hair myself every other weekend. DIY is a part of my life, whether I'm always aware of it or not.

After reading an article in the most recent issue of Shameless magazine, I've begun thinking about why I like DIY.

Diandre Jurkic-Walls says

DIY and crafts have always been a part of feminism and social action. Revolutionary movements aren't borne out of a "revolutions-for-dummies" manual and the tools aren't provided to us by the powers we want to revolt against.

Are making my own jewellery, or altering second hand clothes, really a revolutionary act? Maybe... but either way I think it is said best with

By doing so, we support an economy that resists consumer "culture."

I think my love of DIY is where my self-identity, and how I express said identity through my appearance, and politics cross over. I do not identify as femme, but I certainly am feminine. My clothing choices reflect that. But through DIY I am able to have the things I want in order to present the way I want, without buying into the beauty industry, an industry that I disagree with.

Why show love to an industry that shows no love to me?