Maternity is a source of joy for many, but presents several challenges and problems that are tightened by dominant and patriarchal standards. The idea of motherhood is full of gender expectations. This perspective is based on conventional gender roles, in which responsibility for the promotion and upbringing of infants is only assigned to the mother. The fulfillment of every need of the child is also relegated to them; The physical, reproductive and mental health of the new mother is often overlooked and ignored by society; And numerous other harmful gender expectations are inherent in the patriarchal motherhood.
A mother is expected to sacrifice the needs of the child or the newborn and submissive, often asked to forget her physical, psychological and motherly health. As a result, women suffer from various mental illness in connection with mental health during and after pregnancy. Accordingly The lancet Journal: “Every year, at least 40 million women are likely to have a long -term health problem caused by birth.”
The study also showed that “a high burden of postnatal diseases that remain in the months or even years after birth. This includes pain during sexual intercourse (dyspare), which affects more than a third (35 percent) of postpartum women after birth; low back pain (32 percent); perineal pain (11 percent);
In response to the prevailing and permanent patriarchal ideals of motherhood, which the freedom and autonomy of women, in particular physical autonomy, are fundamentally restricted, feminist reinterpretations of motherhood appeared. This term is based on several feminist principles and beliefs that work for freedom, autonomy and well -being of mothers.
Feminist motherhood asks mothers to reject the term, suppress their feelings and feelings about motherhood. Instead, they are asked to articulate their wishes and emotions regardless of their positive or negative nature. It informs mothers that self -sacrificing is unnecessary; You are entitled to pursue your interests, efforts and well -being. It also rejects the assumption that mothers must be the exclusive supervisors of their children.
Feminist motherhood works intersectionally and provides that maternal experiences are influenced by the socio -economic status of people, including factors such as caste, class and race. Some feminists claim that motherhood restrict women in patriarchy, while others claim that motherhood and their experiences can embody feminist principles. Adrienne Rich claims that the patriarchal idea of motherhood and not the experience of mother is the basis of the oppression of women.
Feminist motherhood supports a different approach to motherhood, which breaks the patriarchal and gender -specific expectations of motherhood and the obligation to attract children to both parents. It also avoids the idea that mothers have to be self -awakening creatures and prioritize their children. Rather, the mothers ask the mothers to be open and ambitious for their lives.
As a result, due to the conventional and patriarchal definitions and expectations of motherhood, the discourses on the restricted and repressive aspects of patriarchal motherhood are often in ambiguous or not at all articulated. At FII we have undertaken to discuss and promote discourse on the subject of feminist motherhood this month.
Here are some information that you have to take into account when writing your articles on this topic:
- Feminist motherhood in contrast to traditional motherhood
- Co- and same parenthood
- Health and reproductive health of mothers
- Mental health of mothers
- Mothers have not stopped
- Maternity and caste
- Maternity and class
- Maternity and Queenness
- Maternity and disability
- Maternity and religion
- Breastfeeding and motherhood
- Sustainable parenthood
- “Perfect Mother” myth
This list is not exhaustive and you are welcome to write about topics within the topic that we may have missed here. Please note our Submission guidelines Before you send us your entries. You can send your pitch or designs to an submission by e -mail shahinda@feminisminindia.com.
We look forward to your designs and hope that you will be happy to write them!
Feminism in India is an award-winning digital intersectional feminist media organization in order to learn, raise and develop feminist sensitivity and to struggle the F-word among young people in India.