We are, undoubtedly, in the 4th wave of feminism. Which to me is equally exciting and depressing. Exciting to know that I am united with so many women in such an important synchronicity. Depressing because we count a quartet of many years reclaiming our overdue rights.
But in this fourth wave where there is so much debate on the political subjects and identities.
To some of us is shocking to see how the “mother” as a political subject is not even mentioned in most discussions.
I follow many popular feminists who are, despite the horizontality of our movement, leaders or influencers if you like.
Not only they never talk about any issues related to motherhood but when one actively tags them or emails them, they totally ignore these issues. Very few feminist associations have echoed campaigns about the obstetric violence women suffer during childbirth. Something that I find bizarre.
I have come to the conclusion that motherhood is a very uncomfortable side of feminism.
It is seeing as very fitting and cool to have a clear position on abortion or surrogacy, I feel that if I was to share an article in my feminist circles about a trans man I know breastfeeding it will have more repercussion than any article of women censored for breastfeeding.
Why our right to be mothers in our own terms is such an uncomfortable topic in our current wave of feminism?
I have come to think that we are still not intrepid enough. We repeat patterns (yes, patterns comes from pater/father)
We don’t listen to us enough. We are still acting for the gaze and asking for what is ours.
I want to create feminism. I want to build a feminism that is a home for all women with all of us women.
Now we are debating what is a woman when we haven’t even included the mother as part of that subject?
We have reached an inclusivity that enable us to say things such as “pregnant people” before we have discuss our rights as pregnant women or fought for eradicating obstetric violence.
And I think that is a bad symptom.
I wonder sisters where are we, the women who are mothers in our feminism, because I’m starting to see that as it happens with women of colour we are starting to be out of the articles, the discussions and the debate.
And as a feminist I believe two things. When one has the power to speak to many, one should speak for just as many or more, we have the moral obligation to talk about all women.
And two, that one has to take responsibility for the changes that she demands.
So, for all the above mentioned and because it is urgent and radically feminist. I have started the international collective Feminist Mothers and I hope this will be an initiative followed by many from which to create the debate we are missing
Because:
“Motherhood is in need of feminism and feminism is in need of motherhood”
