The Origami Forum

I'm just curious as being very new to origami it seems to be a very male-dominated art. Well dominated isn't quite the right word but I think the idea is clear. I want to know if there are other female folders out here and was hoping they would just give a shout-out and let me know they are around and what they like to fold. Personally, as being new I'm still plowing through the 'intermediate' stuff so any advice from the guys will be happily received.

Why does Origami seem to be male dominated for you?

I know more women who do origami than men who do origami. In fact, in my local origami meeting there are only three men (not including myself) -- the rest are women.

OrigamiUSA was founded by a woman. Many prominent members are/were women.

TECHNICAL origami, I agree, seems to be more male-dominated. I do not know why. Some people give explanations based on the differences between the male and the female brains. I do not know if I agree or not with such reasoning: I don't know enough to decide.

On this forum there are a few females. A notable example is our very own Wolf. She is very good in technical origami, and has a marvellous website that is worth visiting.

Lastly, I plead all of you to broaden your mind and accept the so-called "lesser" forms of origami, that are not technical origami. In my mind, they are just as fascinating and important, if not more so. I receive great joy from folding a one-fold elephant. Perhaps more joy than folding are marvellously detailed 234-step one.

I'm a woman, I like to fold lots of different things but mostly modular.

I know of at least two female members of this forum (not including Tusk). and I agree with Bshulval, because at our local meeting, there are only two men and the rest are women. my personal experience tells me, that women easier tend to try out folding, but unlike the male folders, they are mostly folding easier stuff. of course there are exceptions (a big twinkle to a special member of this forum *g*).


Christian

I like to fold very complex models and I´m female!
I haven´t met any other folders yet, so I can´t say if there are more female or male folders out there.

Two words: Tomoko Fuse

interesting question!

haha i find it odd, but I don't think I have met any female origami crazed. At least online, all the origami enthusiast I've met were males. haha so maybe only the guys go online? and the girls go to the club meetings?

interesting

hi, i just posted something similiar on another message board about a month ago refering to female origamists. two things it seems that most technical folders are men. and the meetings i had attended about 5 years back were mostly men then. i am told things are very different now, then i had experienced them. i am a woman and i am not really into modulars , anything over 6 sheets and i get bored quickly, although i like the look of modular stuff, a lot! just no patience in that aspect. i usually fold anything that suits me at the time. a lot of intermediate, high intermediate, and a little complex stuff. i have a collection of about 270+ origami books from around the world. would love to chat with anyone else that is into origami.i
in fact now that i think about it they are having a big discussion on another message board about creating software to diagram models and so far i think everyone that has responded has been men. sincerely, dani (the female spelling of the name!)

Doesn't this topic ever die???

Everyone's free to fold what they like. What gets me more is the attitude at conventions, where guys would automatically assume that just 'cos you're a girl, you're incapable of folding anything more complex than a paper crane...

And the dratted diagram software is another of those things that keep coming back. It ain't gonna happen until someone comes up with a concise mathematical model which can exactly describe the layout of any particular origami design. Anyone wants to work on this?

i think it just died its final death! i couldnt have said it better if i tried! you go girl! us girls and women are here to stay! sincerely, dani

I always thought the artform was genderless. How can a piece of paper be male or female? Does it really matter if the person who did the folding was a man or woman? Will the finished model be any less exquisite?

cybermystic wrote:How can a piece of paper be male or female?

Sure it can, especially if you're speaking in one of them funny European languages with two or three genders...

Indeed?
In German it´s neuter.
I would be very interested to know in which of the funny European languages it is male or female, can you help me?

In italian paper="carta" is female...
Really nice to touch with my fingers

Dioniso

In french, we say Le papier (male)

But for the sheet, we say La feuille (female)

Strange, isn't it ?