Stab it, strangle it: Media representations of knitters, and subversions of the stereotype to reflect inclusion and diversity

Subversion is at the heart of my knitting practice but how can the stereotypical image of the knitter, the kindly white-haired, white-skinned grandmother who knits out of love, be successfully subverted to change public perceptions of knitting? What will it take to challenge and ultimately change the stereotype? This article examines contemporary media representations of knitting and knitters from the UK, USA and Australia, revealing how deep-rooted the stereotype is. The media representations explore issues around activism, mental health, race, gender, age and sexuality as portrayed through acts of knitting. From the environmental activists known as Knitting Nannas, to artist Jameisha Prescod’s, self-portrait, Untangling, of her knitting to manage her mental health during England’s national lockdown, and gold medallist diver and campaigner for LGBT+ rights, Tom Daley, knitting poolside during the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics in an attempt to relax and steady his nerves. It explores how the stereotypical view of knitters and knitting affects the way that it is received and valued, and challenges the supposedly ‘warm and friendly’ nature of knitting, presenting the lack of diversity and representation that currently exists in the knitting community