Wages against Housework

To think of ways that give attention to care in the household as a form of legitimate labour, Grazia Gallo hosted Reading Room Rotterdam at the Poortgebouw. As a practised hairdresser, Grazia offered skills in learning how to cut one’s hair. This labour of love is often assumed within the domestic roles played by women in the house. Whether it be a lover snipping the little hairs behind your ears or a mother performing their child’s first haircut, hairdressing within the home has a long history tied to labour taken on by women. To critique these roles, Grazia chose to situate Louise Toupin’s book, Wages For Housework in dialogue with the session. The book traces international feminist movements of 1972-1977 with conversations with international activists. Encompassing rich theoretical traditions, including autonomism, anti-colonialism and feminism, the book highlights the power and originality of the campaign.

This session held a critical approach to how domestic labour is essential in our lives as we all learn how to live together. Hosted in the Poortgebouw, the question of home is taken a step further. In a community built of many, resisting the injustices of the housing market, how can we actively find ways of being together for a community beyond the walls of the home? The session was held within the Poortgebouw’s swap shop, a public space for bringing in clothing not worn anymore in exchange for something else.

For more on Grazia's practice, check out her website here.