Hello there,
Let me introduce myself. My name is Ruth and I’ll be an occasional blogger for Mothers for Women’s Lib. Anji very kindly invited me over after reading my article on the f word.
I’ll tell you a little bit about me so you can see where I’m coming from:
I’m a WOHM: I work full-time at a charity involved in supporting families. I have a little boy, sixteen months’ old. I am also a volunteer breastfeeding peer supporter.
I’ve called myself a feminist (and incidently, been a Ms.) since I was 14 years of age, when I read What Society does to Girls (and went on to hoover up everything I could published by Virago). I didn’t stop being a feminist (or a Ms.) when I got married and I was damn sure I wouldn’t stop when I had a baby.
However occasionally I have found it hard to reconcile my style of parenting (I am very into attachment-style parenting) with my feminism. I’m undaunted though and I absolutely believe that of course it’s possible to be a Mum – even a proverbial “earth mother” – and a feminist!
I’m particularly interested in issues surrounding birth choice, breastfeeding, gentle parenting and combining paid work with motherhood. Obviously on a personal level I’m interested in how to raise a boy without infecting him with the misogyny that pervades society. I’m also interested in children’s rights and I think there is a real synergy between these and women’s rights.
I’ll try to blog as often as I can, but I am very busy and think I will be more of an occasional blogger than a regular one.
Thanks for reading and I hope to post more soon.
August 25, 2008 at 10:34 am
I’m looking forward to your posts!
August 26, 2008 at 11:54 am
Hello! I read your post on the f word and thought it was very right. I’m fascinated that you’ve found it difficult to combine attachment parenting and feminism: most of the mother-feminists I know are enthusiastic proponents of both; and I’ve felt slightly guilty that I’m not so great at all the attachment parenting things (being disabled meant that carrying my son around a lot when he was little just wasn’t feasible: I found it hard enough to move myself!).
And goodness, how busy you are! Especially with such a small son!
August 26, 2008 at 1:40 pm
I think the place where I’ve occasionally found a conflict between the two “philosophies” is when it comes to early years childcare.
Actually I think it’s an incredibly complex issue that sometimes gets dealt with using simplistic blanket statements and I will try to blog on it at some point in the future and am always interested to read the thoughts of others, too.
Personally I think AP is more about an attitude than anything; about trusting your baby and forming an attachment with her/him in whatever individual way you can.
It’s interesting you mention feeling guilt, even though it’s something you should have no reason to feel guilt over – I feel guilt over so many things, to do with mothering – people often say “don’t feel guilty, it’s not your fault” as if you could just shrug it off like that – but sometimes I like to look into my “guilty” feelings and address them and often I end up feeling anger instead, at a system that doesn’t provide me with the support to do the thing I’m feeling guilty about not doing. (If that makes any sense, I don’t know).
But then I just wind myself up getting angry, instead!