In our BLS385 course we have been discussing the disenfranchising of American mothers, including acknowledging the more severe acts of oppression against ethnic or sexual orientation minority groups.
Considering the phrase “mommy wars”, which is largely referring to the highly debated decision of mothers to attain a career or stay at home, the class has mostly covered the currently radical concept of acknowledging the value of unpaid work mothers do at home. Anne Crittendon’s assertion is that this unpaid work is one of the highest possibly esteemed values for building a civilization; she calls this value by the Greek term oikonomia. I agree with Crittendon; by using sound logical principles one can easily see how much the nation depends on the work mothers do at home, especially when it comes to raising children. But interestingly a concept that might fall into both categories of the mommy wars can be explored within this one realm: the realm of the working woman’s mommy blog.
I see this realm as showcasing the ability for women in positions of employment to define what they see and to shape public opinion regarding their roles as working mothers. What they see is that they are mistreated on the basis of being mothers in addition to being women. Do women acknowledge this? They do in their blogs. What do women feel about this? They are unafraid to publish their disapproval (in an anti-inflammatory manner) if one explores the top blogs revealed in a basic web search. What do they intend to do about this? I believe that studying these blogs over time will reveal a trend of increasing public awareness of this plight and subsequently more progressive social equality. Blogs are the literary tool by which women are speaking more loudly and with frequency, and ultimately are taking further part in shaping social values.
I believe the blogs they create while writing at home in their free time constitute as oikonomia, which is defined as “the building and preservation of long-term communal value” (Crittendon 68). The communal value of an outlet for women who not only work and mother but who publicly question the values society has taught them, and who have the education and confidence to be leaders is exponential. Is it for the good of American society to seek equality for and to be inclusive of the mother narrative that has historically done the lion’s share in rearing its future citizens? While economists and sociologists continue to disagree about what part of women’s work is economically and socially valuable, Crittendon has solidly answered yes to that question. In terms of working women’s blogs, since blogs tend to attract the same kind of reader who relates most to the content, I suggest that these women are building online communities that are essentially powerful grassroots organizations.
Take for instance blog Working Mother by Sharon Chae-Haver. In her profile she states she is “interested in exploring and bridging the gap between our notion of the ‘Ideal Worker’ and the ‘Ideal Mother,’ and advocating for positive changes—in both policy and culture—at our workplace so that our work works for us.” Sharon’s post Women: Worriers in Chief at work and at home? informs readers about the disparities of women’s work, specifically when one considers the terms “kin-keeping”, which are tasks designed to create a sense of comfort and connection with one’s family, and “worrier-work”, which are the secretarial tasks women often self-designate but which also causes excess stress and depletion of one’s free time.
Her article is insightful and respectfully written, and her blog hits across many of the themes our class has discussed, such as: how ethnic diversity affects mothers, how social values affect mothers, the economic position of mommy blogs (her blog employs ads), and the political concept of a literary voice for women. She cites the works she mentions while making her points, lending credibility to her post beyond that of a working mother’s casual journal entries. She takes these issues seriously and encourages the reader to do the same. I find her voice to be one of essential feminism in today’s America.
Considering the phrase “mommy wars”, which is largely referring to the highly debated decision of mothers to attain a career or stay at home, the class has mostly covered the currently radical concept of acknowledging the value of unpaid work mothers do at home. Anne Crittendon’s assertion is that this unpaid work is one of the highest possibly esteemed values for building a civilization; she calls this value by the Greek term oikonomia. I agree with Crittendon; by using sound logical principles one can easily see how much the nation depends on the work mothers do at home, especially when it comes to raising children. But interestingly a concept that might fall into both categories of the mommy wars can be explored within this one realm: the realm of the working woman’s mommy blog.
I see this realm as showcasing the ability for women in positions of employment to define what they see and to shape public opinion regarding their roles as working mothers. What they see is that they are mistreated on the basis of being mothers in addition to being women. Do women acknowledge this? They do in their blogs. What do women feel about this? They are unafraid to publish their disapproval (in an anti-inflammatory manner) if one explores the top blogs revealed in a basic web search. What do they intend to do about this? I believe that studying these blogs over time will reveal a trend of increasing public awareness of this plight and subsequently more progressive social equality. Blogs are the literary tool by which women are speaking more loudly and with frequency, and ultimately are taking further part in shaping social values.
I believe the blogs they create while writing at home in their free time constitute as oikonomia, which is defined as “the building and preservation of long-term communal value” (Crittendon 68). The communal value of an outlet for women who not only work and mother but who publicly question the values society has taught them, and who have the education and confidence to be leaders is exponential. Is it for the good of American society to seek equality for and to be inclusive of the mother narrative that has historically done the lion’s share in rearing its future citizens? While economists and sociologists continue to disagree about what part of women’s work is economically and socially valuable, Crittendon has solidly answered yes to that question. In terms of working women’s blogs, since blogs tend to attract the same kind of reader who relates most to the content, I suggest that these women are building online communities that are essentially powerful grassroots organizations.
Take for instance blog Working Mother by Sharon Chae-Haver. In her profile she states she is “interested in exploring and bridging the gap between our notion of the ‘Ideal Worker’ and the ‘Ideal Mother,’ and advocating for positive changes—in both policy and culture—at our workplace so that our work works for us.” Sharon’s post Women: Worriers in Chief at work and at home? informs readers about the disparities of women’s work, specifically when one considers the terms “kin-keeping”, which are tasks designed to create a sense of comfort and connection with one’s family, and “worrier-work”, which are the secretarial tasks women often self-designate but which also causes excess stress and depletion of one’s free time.
Her article is insightful and respectfully written, and her blog hits across many of the themes our class has discussed, such as: how ethnic diversity affects mothers, how social values affect mothers, the economic position of mommy blogs (her blog employs ads), and the political concept of a literary voice for women. She cites the works she mentions while making her points, lending credibility to her post beyond that of a working mother’s casual journal entries. She takes these issues seriously and encourages the reader to do the same. I find her voice to be one of essential feminism in today’s America.
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