Comments on: What Does a Feminist Mother Look Like? Part 2

By: The Good Life

The Good Life — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:24:40 +0000

[...] The original “Ten Questions for Feminist Mothers” is located here, and the series of answers is on Sustainable Mothering in two parts. [...]

By: UK Baby Parenting

UK Baby Parenting — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 12:58:33 +0000

Mothers…

Our mothers are the people who give birth to us and care for us until we are capable of looking after ourselves…

By: Jake

Jake — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 18:13:32 +0000

Thanks Blue Milk. Part 3 is coming.

By: blue milk

blue milk — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:51:00 +0000

Fantastic responses – very thought-provoking and I’ll post a link to your site shortly. Thanks.

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 19:01:33 +0000

This is interesting Jane but I am a little confused. I don’t see an inconsistency between the feminist and the human in what you describe. I think “love, caring, sharing, anger, and defense” are utilitarian and human and feminist. Am I missing your point?

“Materialism” has different political definitions. I tend to associate it with marxist analysis while “naturalist” I might associate with “essentialism.” Lots of “multiple interpretation” terms here.

FYI everyone – I just fixed my log-in so I show up as “Jake” instead of “admin” but it is still me.

By: Jane

Jane — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:43:45 +0000

This piques my interest because this addresses the question what makes a human being, a human being? How do we judge and value things in life? If we have a materialism, naturalist view, we look at utility. But sometimes the things that are discarded as non-utilitarian become the scaffolding that holds the universe together! There is purpose in the insects that drive us crazy, there is an inter-weaving in the universe that goes beyond our immediate understanding. MOthering has been relegated to a necessary “evolutionary” practice as if the housing of genetic material is the real. When material foundations collapse, then the real shines out – untouchable qualities that mothering nourishes – like love, caring, sharing, anger, and defense. Too me that is not feminist. It is human. It is the imago Dei.

By: Suna

Suna — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:37:06 +0000

One point you make really needs to be made clear to lots of people: “sacrifice” is not something that happens just to mothers, feminists or women. Everyone makes sacrifices and compromises in life, and a great number of them revolve around our families. Men also make career and money decisions based on their families’ needs, and no one thinks that is a horrible thing. And it’s not just parents who sacrifice for their children. I know plenty of adult children who move to a different location to help out with elderly parents, for example. Well, I’ll stoe because I can’t see what I am typing@

By: admin

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:41:34 +0000

The author of the ten questions, Blue Milk, is an Australian who originally posed these question in October of 2007. I haven’t made it through all the responses (hit my link to her original post to see them all) but these questions seem to me to be so useful in part because they lead to more questions. I totally agree that feminism can’t be divorced from class issues. I think US feminists are behind the curve on this just as the US is so often behind the UK on issues of political diversity. Here in the US we are very much trapped in the “mommy wars” – an easy way to keep us arguing among ourselves rather than turning our attention to the real issues.

By: Morgan Gallagher

Morgan Gallagher — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:13:20 +0000

It’s intersting, the USA/UK differences here. My feminism as a brestfeeding on demand, work in the home, attached mother, is never doubted in the activist circles I’m in. This might be because I don’t shut up about the patriarchy trying to stop me attach parent, it may be because when I do attend political events, I’m usually in the company of other mothers and babies – all of them African. It’s accepted that African mothers will attend events with their babies, both from a cultural perspective, and from the working class issue of lack of affordable child care. Most African mothers at these events, are in the aslym systemn, and have little money for food, so there is an acceptance of their babies and children, as ‘they have to be there’. This has included our Houses of Parliament, where I trawl in with a toddler on my hip. I think my class status, as working class, protects me here. The rise in working class attached Mamas, is helping. Somehow, if you are middle class, and baby wearing, it’s less ‘real’ than if you are working class, and such.

Also, that breastfeeding is a feminist issue is now really being discussed, and embraced, in the UK. Formula feeding as a feminist issue is being seen as, and discussed, for what it is – a pseudo-feminist trap. A tool of patriarchy. You’re not alone Mama!