Newsletter #7: The “Good Mom” Industrial Complex
In September I gave birth to my first kid. If you follow me on Instagram you’ll see I’m totally obsessed with him. I really enjoy being a mom. What I hate is the pressure around being a “good mom.”
According to societal expectations, a “good mom”:
has a rocking bod that is void of stretch marks
makes super healthy meals that also look and taste great
looks effortlessly put together
maintains a robust social life for both child and self
has an Instagram ready home
does cool crafts and activities that lead to a perfectly developed genius child
is also a boss babe with an enviable career
The concept of the "good mom" is an effective tool of white supremacy. It pushes us to focus on individual choices and performance rather than collective struggle for systemic change. Instead of paid leave, we get advice on how to redefine the mom jean! Instead of universal health care, we get links to easy dinner recipes–20 mins or less! Instead of reproductive justice, we’re offered 5 tasty lunch hacks! Instead of livable wages, we get new bath bombs–#selfcare!
Reflecting on the “good mom” industrial complex, I can’t help but wonder what society would look like if it actually gave a shit about women–poor women, trans women, Black women? What would that do for wages, for accessibility, for healthcare, for education, for our environment?
As we enter a new year, Women Unite! seeks to answer these questions. Our resolution is to commit our resources to build a world that centers women by:
Amplifying the voices of women-led organizations, especially those led by women of color, through our social media and communications
Supporting women-led organizations through our Outreach & Engagement committee
Donating a minimum of $25,000 to our partners and other women-led organizations each year
Dedicating at least 75% of our services to free and sliding-scale clients
Launching our Everything Is A Feminist Issue book club, which will explore the issues impacting our world in an accessible and expansive format
Providing our staff and contractors with livable wages
Increasing paid parental leave for staff from three to six months by 2023
Providing staff with a $200/month stipend for childcare
While these steps may seem small in the face of such big challenges, we find hope in our journey–an organization that started as a text thread in 2016, grew into an official nonprofit in 2019 and, in just two years, has secured more than $4M in funding for our partners and clients and provided more than 10,000 hours of services for free and on a sliding-scale.
This year, we invite you to join us in our resolution to continue the revolution, to join us in our commitment to women, people of color, and other marginalized groups. Together, we can begin to rebuild our world in more just, compassionate ways.
As always, stay kind, stay generous, and stay radical.
Liz
