The mothers whose lives are not being reflected on greeting cards are in need of something that can’t be delivered, worn, or eaten. They need policies that accurately reflect the reality of their daily lives.
We thought passing our antishackling bill would be easy. After all, who would want to be seen arguing that pregnant women should wear chains?
Being a queer mama of color, in all of the ways that we are queer mamas of color, means that we have to talk about race, immigration, disability, class, gender, gender identity, and sexuality. We have to name these things because they shape how, where, when, and why we parent.
This Mama’s Day, I encourage all women to stand up and say, “Mamahood by Choice!” Becoming a mama should always be a decision that a woman makes with her partner—and not because she doesn’t have access to family planning.
The question of motherhood, of raising a child, of being a mother to another human life is so loaded for me that I spend an equal amount of time trying not to think about it and obsessing about it.
Almost two months ago, I wrote about Bei Bei Shuai on my blog, Radical Doula. Now it’s Mama’s Day, and Bei Bei is still in prison.
Mother’s Day has a way of making everyone feel like an outsider. This brunch-y, kid friendly version of Mother’s Day, creates the feeling that there is some elusive “right way” to celebrate and be celebrated. We want to flip that.
