The other day, I dropped M and two of her classmates off at preschool. To manage the hurculean task of driving three whole kids around, I used the classmates’ mom’s mini-van (dropping them off was a favor for her because she had an early meeting).
As soon as I sat down in the Mini-van, I was in love. I mean really, in LOOOOOOOOVE.
I will just preface my smooch-fest by saying that I am not very tall. Even with my electric seats cranked to the highest position, I can barely see over the dash. For me to reach the gas and brake pedals, my seat has to be pulled so far forward that the airbag may actual decapitate me if we get in a wreck.
But the Mini-van, oh the Mini-van. The seat fit me perfectly. I could see over the steering wheel. I could reach the pedals and all the buttons on the radio and airconditioner thingy. The automatic sliding door so the screaming horde of kids could get in before I got to the car. It was amazing.
As I sat there in my lumbar-supported heaven, I started wondering: "why aren’t mIni-Vans cool? Because damn, this car is awesome."
Then it occured to me. It is the fucking Patriarchy that makes mini-vans uncool. It is a car that is designed for WOMEN. It is designed for WOMEN WITH KIDS. It is a car that is created to meet MY NEEDS.
Of course The MAN must scorn it.
Fuck that, I say.
Soccer mom stereotypes be damned. Sooner or later, I am going to get myself a mini-van and I will drive it as a badge of my feminist honor.
Maybe I will even get a bumper sticker that says "Fight The MAN. Drive a Mini-van!"
Am coughing to cover my “covert” laughing at work!! Love, love, love this…and have to admit that I fell into a mini-van crush when I drove a friends before I even had a child! Comfy, well appointed, and easy even at my puny 5’1″ height.
And, if you do get that bumper sticker, I may just have to beg until I can get one, too! LOL
Yeah, they’d be great if they got more than, what – 20 miles/gallon?
Fuck the patricarchy; minivans rock. And the Hondas and Toyotas get more than 20 mpg.
As soon as you get those stickers printed, I’ll be the first to slap one on my van.
When Star Trek’s spin-off “Voyager” came out with a woman captain, someone pointed out that her star ship had a mini van name.
Don’t know if that was a gesture of patriarchy or feminist pride, but thought you’d appreciate it. What’s uncool about a star ship, after all?
I heart my used volvo station wagon. Stereotypes be damned.
We have a Toyota mini-van and we are uber-cool.
If you find a place that makes those bumper stickers, let me know.
That’s just how I felt when I tried out my first minivan — after swearing up and down for years that I would NEVER own one. I finally bought one and it’s the best car I’ve ever owned. In fact, I’m buying the exact same one when the one I’m driving dies. (Mine’s a Mazda MPV.)
Thank you for giving me a reason to be proud instead of embarrassed. Down with the man! I’ll take one of those bumper stickers, too.
i’m not seeing the minivan love, i’m more minivan neutral. driving my odyssey round town.
Minivans are awesome, they really are. I miss being able to use our Aerostar somewhat of a minivan and I covet my friend’s volkswagon minivan — so very cool AND useful!
How is school going by the way?
I have a full size conversion van that I just love. I am also short and it fits me perfectly and I am riding on top of the world and the captain seats are soooo far apart the kids cannot touch each other. Heaven!!!! The big drawback is gas mileage so I have another car that I drive for work purposes.
My first very own vehicle ever was the minivan my parents used to cart us around to soccer practice and ball games. I loved that car. It was the best vehicle ever. Her name was Big Ruby. She saved me when we got hit by the speeding snowplow. She died two weeks before I drove to California, and there has been a hole in my heart ever since. If you can find a fuel-efficient pseudo-Ruby, your life will be better for it.
Yep, I’m with you. We bought our first one last August (a Honda Odyssey), and it’s the best car…em..van that I’ve ever owned. I’m totally smitten.
I always swore I’d never get one. Swore. Well, it didn’t stick, and I’m now the proud owner of a Sienna. Dude, I *heart* my minivan!
I want one of the stickers too.
I agree with you on most things, and am a lifelong feminist, but we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. Won’t go there. Yes, they’re comfortable, too comfortable. So are polyester elastic waist pants, sweatshirts with poodles on them, and leather La-Z-Boys. On a more serious note, if anyone can show me a great minivan with seriously good gas mileage and a good safety record for both the driver and the vehicles around and I might reconsider. But I will not wear polyester pants with elastic waistbands.
Now, I drive an SUV and I am trading to an even bigger one because I need more room and every now and then I will open my mouth about the minivan and I am immediately shut down by my husband…but, you are right… they are a woman’s car and they pretty much kick ass!
My husband LOVES the mini-van . According to him the seat in our mini-van is just like that in his truck and he loves it. Raves about how comfortable it is to drive.
Me? Hate it. Hate that he suckered me into getting it. It is just a matter of time before I either hit a car or a person that I never saw. The blind spots on those things are gigantic and I swear that the rear-view mirror is a fun house mirror.
I’m doing my best to like it though since I will be driving it for the next 20 years. The auto-door does rock. I wish I had that on both sides….oh and on the hatch.
I don’t mind minivans at all. I’m going to need to get one soon!
Have to agree with Viv on this one and respectfully disagree w/you. And I would like to add “and costs less than $35,000″ to her specs.
I have enjoyed and learned from many posts on this blog. But this is the first post that I’m emailing to my husband.
Roll On Sister!!
We have one, and would have two if we could afford it.
Try CafePress.com for the bumperstickers, and please post when we can get them.
OMG – it’s going around. I just told J we should look into getting one if we move to the suburbs. I can’t see myself driving an SUV. I can’t do that. I just can’t. But I can also see myself having to schlepp more than two kids. A sedan just doesn’t work as well.
We can reshape the perception. We have the power.
p.s. Doesn’t Sasha drive a mini van as well? And look how cool she is. And Mrs. Figby. So, uh, yeah.
I have to say with Viv – but my reasons are all vanity related! When we replaced our last car I wanted a Jeep. Hubby is european and can’t imagine drving anything bigger than a car. Our compromise – a used Audi wagon. I LOVE it. You can fit 5 kids and two adults and it has a special place for your skis. YOUR SKIS! Did I mention we live in the south? Still, I feel so cool flashing past the minivans.
I have to second Mrs. Figby’s MPV praise. The MPV was the only minivan I would consider because it’s smaller than the Honda and Toyota (and as cute as a VW Beetle) but still holds seven people. Since there are seven of us now we really didn’t have any choice. It is comfortable and handles surprisingly well. I wish the gas mileage were better, though.
Too Funny! And I completely agree! I love my minivan because I can see over all the other cars,and this is coming from a woman that drove a VW bug for 10 years. The best part about getting the minivan was seeing my teenager cringe and say, “Why couldn’t you drive a nice SUV??”
I’m a complete liar. There are only six of us. I miscounted. Still, too many for a sedan.
My 10 year old Quest gets about 23 in the city and as much as 27 on the highway. I actually consider it a pretty good use of resources. It fits 7 people, we carpool a ton. So far less energy is used than the 2 or sometimes 3 sedans that would be driven instead. It’s a family car and has held up really well for all the wear and tear it gets. Frankly, it’s practical.
I gave you some link love (and the top spot) over at http://linkateria.blogspot.com today.
Minivans are the NEW cool. For certain.
I love my minivan. My Toyota gets about 23 in town, which is about what the Honda Accord gets. Because it’s on a car bed, rather than a truck bed like an SUV, the mileage is great.
When the husband and I were deciding on the next vehicle, the minivan issue came up. I wanted a wagon, he wanted a minivan. (But we’re not THERE yet, I whined). I talked to our mechanic, who said that every (heterosexual) couple has this discussion and that 9 times out of 10, it’s the woman who resists the minivan. So is it another case of women buying into the patriarchy while our more progressive husbands shrug and say, “but it has more room, is safer, and in general less expensive”?
We ended up with a hatchback, which is a great start. But as soon as that second kid comes around, we will proudly park the ugliest, un-hippest minivan we can find in front of our house. What is childhood without an embarassing vehicle in which to show up for school, anyway?