According to the Craft & Hobby Association, a year exists in the world’s timeline where just over a million men were scrapbooking. It may surprise those who think scrapbooking or paper crafting are feminine. However, like all things in life, it’s not a restriction on your ability to take on certain tasks and do them the way that suits you.
A female firefighter might not be as likely to display the most recent calendar girl up on her wall to make friends with other men, but she could have a successful career using the athleticism that best suits her interests. That’s the thing about the distinction: Just because some people have historically dominated an activity, job, or hobby in their particular gender, race, or socioeconomic group, doesn’t automatically mean it should remain so.
Importantly, these markers, which include many frills, subtle colors and other embellishments, do not last. It is hard to see men scrapbooking as something they enjoy, and not as a way of expressing their dismay at this hobby.
It would be a totally different world if the Williams sisters had not stopped playing tennis because they were opposed by others. The world of professional tennis will also see a lot less gender equality than it does now.
Tiger Woods would have been unable to excel in an activity that would give him a long career. The sport would also not be as fulfilling if he let his differences get in the way. That is very important. More perspectives and contributions to an activity or career, naturally, will lead to a greater interest in the hobby or activity. Tiger, who had overcome adversity to excel, developed a method of discipline that became a teaching strategy. All races and genders can excel through difficult situations, and Tiger is responsible for many improvements in golf’s game.
A second example is that the Williams eldest sister, after fighting through racial inequalities, saw no reason for her to bow down to gender inequalities; she was the one who spearheaded the improvement of women’s tennis salaries. Her struggles led to her being remembered as not just a champion, but as the one responsible for raising women’s wages in professional tennis. This helped end a very visible form of gender inequalities at the international level, which was perpetuated by advanced societies around the globe.
While the Guinness World Record may not apply to the contributions of a man in scrapbooking, that doesn’t mean they won’t make an impact on the life of the man involved. Artistic expression offers many benefits. Art forms are not required to identify genders through use of colors or other materials. Because of how we were raised and gender-identified, we have a tendency to be drawn to particular characteristics. This is partly due in part to our cultural perceptions of genders.
These associations are fine in their own right, but not required. We have lace in scrapbooking because of them. The once strict nature of these subtle gender associations is now being broken, and more people are able to communicate in unlimited ways that benefit them. People who can connect with their emotions and learn from their mistakes are what the world really needs. This gift is not exclusive to one gender.