Episode 15: The Politics of Mothering

Hi there freemoms, and welcome to today’s show. I was thinking back to why I started this podcast, which for those of you who are new was because I wanted to create a community to discuss topics that modern moms should be paying attention to. I wasn’t interested in parenting per se, but I was curious about politics, health, careers, and so many of the bigger picture issues that both offer opportunity and completely cripple parents, and specifically mothers, here in the United States. 

It wasn’t until I had children of my own that I realized how underappreciated and underrepresented women and mothers are when it comes to government and policy. We live in a country that has never had a female president and where women only hold a bit more than a quarter of congressional seats. We are begging for paid parental leave, federally subsidized childcare, and equal wages to representatives who can’t truly connect with those issues. It makes it easy to turn a blind eye, which is why support for so many of these fundamental resources has failed to make it up the hill. 

All of this begs the question: if females are so underrepresented in government, how are we ever going to get what we need as parents, and as a society, to thrive? That’s the topic of conversation for today. 

Please help me give a warm welcome to Dr. Katie Garner, a Chicago-based teacher, scholar, and the Executive Director of the International Association of Maternal Action and Scholarship, a non-profit organization that was created to promote empowered mothering with research and advocacy. Katie’s work pushes the boundaries and gives a kick in the pants to the politicians, corporates, and societal influencers who aren’t doing enough to recognize the impossible role of motherhood. She’s currently speaking with moms across the country as part of a book on inequalities of work, childcare, and family. In addition to her amazing book, here is a list of her favorites to check out.