Even though the 1970s kitchens were open-concept, women were geared for careers outside the home and began rejecting the traditional role of making meals [along with typewriting, etc.] because it was labeled “women’s work.” This expressive, almost surreal video of Martha Rosler, above, reciting kitchen items are in alphabetical order, aptly depicts the rejection of old roles, and the cynicism women felt towards learning traditional roles in the kitchen. Coincidentally, women’s stand against cooking paralleled conveniently with convenience foods finding their way more and more into homes. Which was first, “the chicken or the egg?” Because of the powerful force of decades-long planning and suggestive advertising, I’ll pick the chicken, but there’s just as good an argument in favor of the egg!
