Comments | verin_the_brown: The Emperor is Naked

verin_the_brown

The Emperor is Naked

Nov 23, 2009 12:18

I see a lot of feminists blogging that the "Mommy Wars" and the "Opt Out Revolution" etc are cases of the emperor's new clothes. I don't really care much because I am, at best, interested in debating parenting choices with respectful people I know and like. So I read about this stuff with the soap opera like interest that fuels any kind of social ( Read more... )

Comments 3

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verin_the_brown November 23 2009, 19:15:11 UTC

When she went on about how a $95 stroller really isn't *that* expensive, you know, I pretty much gave up. It's like she has no clue that for every American family that thinks a $95 stroller is no big deal, there's a dozen who, given $95, AREN'T GOING TO SPEND IT ON A FANCY STROLLER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO BUY FOOD, AND CLOTHING, AND SO FORTH!

Yes, it's very much like the "Opt Out Revolution" (which I haven't read nor care to) focusing on hedge fund managers who choose to become stay at home moms and how that's some kind of scary retrograde social movement ('revolution', even) when the other 99% of moms aren't exactly faced with that same tough choice.

kickindancer November 24 2009, 01:28:46 UTC

I haven't read the article yet, but just wanted to throw out there that in my personal life, I have not felt any mommy-hate thrown at me. People were polite while I was pregnant, and whenever Im out with the babies, usually we get a lot of compliments on how cute the boys are. I find myself talking to other mothers---total strangers---about children/child-related things, and we simply exchange info and go on our merry ways. (example: I asked a woman in Target about which kind of shoes stayed on her son's feet the best. She answered me ( ... )

kickindancer November 24 2009, 02:01:30 UTC

Ok, I read the article.

While I certainly believe in the judgement thing the author mentions (no matter what you do as a mother, someone will decide you are doing it wrong, and will probably tell you so, maybe even in public), I don't see that as "mommy-hate." That's mommies hating on each other, or envy, or someone who is insecure building him/herself up by putting others down. But that's not a collective movement by non-mothers vs. mothers.