Author: MOM

The MOM Art Annex (FL) is a certified 501c3 designated non profit, connecting Students, Women, Men, M/others and Families through Reproductive Identities, Music, Art, Activism and Education for Cultural, Economic & Social awareness. By creating, producing and presenting visual, literary, educational, academic, performing arts exhibits that celebrate, nurture and support individuals with a special emphasis on identity, experience, and community, MOM acts as a safe space for healing and illumination. We create unique opportunities for people that they might not otherwise have; free of age, race and socio-economic barriers.

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Four Mothers’ Grief

Recently, the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and Michael Brown sat down with Anderson Cooper on Anderson Cooper 360.

art courtesy chicago art dept. creative commons
art courtesy chicago art dept. creative commons

Three poignant clips, found here on Vibe, show the mothers sitting together for the first time since the deaths of their sons at the hands of three white policemen (and one white neighborhood watchperson).   As reported here by CNN, the mothers asserted that had their sons been white, they would still be alive today. When Anderson Cooper cites poll results suggesting that most Americans are not of the mindset that the killings have been racially charged, the women argue that white people do not have to think about this issue in their lives. Marx raised a similar point in relation to labor division. The “have-nots” will always be more conscious of the “haves’” access to wealth, but this is not as apparent to the “haves”. In essence, privilege is more visible to those who do not benefit from it.

The mothers’ tones unwavering despite their grief, their messages were not those of anger. They challenged the perception reflected in the polls, saying that the protests, rallies, and marches that have sprung up in cities across the US have been comprised of people of all races, showing that this is not just the African American community’s issue; it is a human rights issue.

By Jenny Nigro – M.O.M. online intern

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The Global Motherhood Report Card

Each year, the NGO Save the Children publishes their annual “State of the World’s Mothers Report.” This report ranks countries on their support for motherhood, in essence, offering a sort of “where the best places to be a mother are” list. The rankings are derived from a composite score, evaluating countries in the five categories of: maternal health, children’s well-being, educational status, economic status, and political status. You may access the full report here.

Sadly, the most inhospitable regions for mothers and children are countries plagued by armed conflict and deep poverty. In the Democratic Republic of Congo where six million lives have been claimed to the ongoing civil war, the findings from the report note that it is safer to be in combat than to be a mother or child. It is not only the senseless acts of violence that have contributed to this shocking death toll, but also the incidence of malnutrition and disease. Political displacement in conflict regions, risk of physical/sexual violence, poverty, and natural disaster all limit women’s access to maternal care.

A worthy topic to distribute to the public, this year’s report caught the eye of ABC and Jezebel. Both news sources commented on the United States’ notable drop in the rankings, from number 6 in the world in 2006 to number 31 in 2014. As the world’s wealthiest country, how is it that we have come to fall short of making the top thirty? The report explains that while we are doing well in terms of economic and educational status (of which we are ranked 8th and 14th in the world, respectively), we are lagging in other aspects. When it comes to maternal health, the US ranks 46th in the world. This figure reflects the reality that American women face a 1 in 2400 risk of maternal death, and American children under 5 face a mortality rate of 7.1 per every 1000 live births, which is roughly the same in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Qatar, and Uruguay. For children’s well-being we occupy 40th place. Most disappointingly, when it comes to political status, we are at a dismal 96th place.

In light of recent changes to our healthcare system, we would expect our maternal health status to read differently. The Save the Children report points to devastating natural disasters that have hindered victims’ receipt of comprehensive healthcare. Still recent in our nation’s collective history, Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy had disproportionately aversive effects on access to care among pregnant/parent women and children. Though not mentioned in the article, another threat to women’s maternal health could possibly be the rise in the number of cases of severe pre-eclampsia, which pose risks to the health of mothers and fetuses.

Though the contributing factors are debatable, the numbers show that there is work to be done globally to improve women and children’s health worldwide. The Millenium Development Goals put out by the UN established markers that countries should strive to meet in these areas, but maintenance and support from governing bodies are needed to ensure that mothers have the ability to provide basic care for their children – around the world.

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THANK YOU for You Submissions! MOM Conference 2015

MamaExpoHeader9th Annual MOM Conference
– Museum of Motherhood Call for Papers –
“New Maternalisms”: Tales of Motherwork (Dislodging the Unthinkable)

– CFP Deadline Extended to January 15th –

April 30th, May 1st-2nd, NYC 2015

The purpose of this conference focuses on “new maternalisms” and explores “motherwork” and the invisible labor of caregiving in our everyday lived experiences. How do mothers, fathers, and caretakers experience “motherwork” what does it mean? How does “motherwork” impact the communities in which we live and work?

Here are examples of possible topics, but are not limited to:

What caregiving practices are pursued in “motherwork”? How have these practices been shaped by factors such as nation, religion, gender, and other axes of difference? How do caregivers frame/understand their “motherwork”? What alliances do caregivers build locally, regionally, and internationally, and why? To what extent does caregiving intersect with other forms of activism/resistance?

How have wo/men’s identities as caregivers been disrupted or shaped by binaries, such as east/west, north/south? Whose agency is privileged or obscured within “motherwork”? How do global discourses shape local “motherwork,” and, how, in turn, do local issues and frames shape global discourses around “motherwork”? This Call For Papers signals the important sociological and anthropological shifts taking place in the field of motherhood as it relates to wo/men – mothers, father, and caretakers.

We welcome submissions from scholars, students, activists, artists, community agencies, service providers, journalists, mothers and others who work or research in this area. Cross-cultural, historical, and comparative work is encouraged. We also encourage a variety of types of submissions including individual academic papers from all disciplines, proposals for panels, creative submissions, performances, storytelling, visual arts, film, music, audio, and other alternative formats.

Submissions must include a title and a maximum 50-100 word abstract for individual papers, panels, and other submission types (e.g. performance, media, music). Panel submissions must include short abstracts (50-100 word) for each individual paper that will be included in the panel.

http://motherhoodfoundation.wpcomstaging.com/conference-submissions/

All submissions will be peer reviewed with responses by Feb. 2nd. The conference will be held in NYC at the CUNY Graduate Center and Manhattan College. [LINK] to Submit.

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Serving the Community & Educating People – YEAR END DONATIONS

Partners_BadgeThe Museum of Motherhood is supported by its founding non-profit 501c3 Motherhood Foundation Inc; serving the community and educating people since 2005 with programming, classes, events, and exhibits. Please support M.O.M. and help us establish a permanent home in a physical location in Manhattan. Any amount helps us continue our activities online and in person and is tax deductible. THANK YOU!

MUSEUM OF MOTHERHOOD CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

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Early History and Significance KEY FACTS – MOMmuseum.org/MOMmuseum@gmail.com 877.711.6667 — Conceived in 2003. Trademarked and Application for 501c3 Non-Profit Status through Motherhood Foundation Inc., 2005. Traveling exhibits & Conferences and Online Presence 2006-2010. First full-time exhibition space opened UES Manhattan 2011.We are the first and only facility of its kind.
Mission The Museum of Motherhood is a science, art, and history center that explores the subject of motherhood, fatherhood, and family – past, present, and future.   Our mission is to start great conversations, create thought-provoking exhibits and share information and education from diverse, inclusive, multicultural perspectives.
Reach The museum had approximately 20,000 visitors between September 2011-April, 2014 at its 401 East 84th St. location. Gymboree franchise owners Deb Whitefield and Barry Hanson donated a 2,500 square foot space. Annual academic conferences gathered yearly and featured international panels of presenters including participants from Russia, Israel, Brazil, England and Australia, as well as representatives from a wide variety of American universities.Travelers from Angola, Mexico and the Netherlands (to name a few) made the museum a destination. Interns from local colleges and high schools made up approximately 60 volunteer and research participants each year. The museum served the community offering support, classes, and a play space.
Building Needs Goals include obtaining a permanent facility.
Vision The museum programs aim to shed light on caregiving, global family traditions, new technologies, fathers, the art of motherhood and women in society, thus supporting families and educating future generations.
Phased Application The museum was able to leverage community volunteers, and interns, plus a small staff to implement it’s programming, website and mission, but needs a real estate donation and robust executive board for further development. Business took in approximately $4,500 per month plus corporate donations: tours, party rentals and daily play space usage. M.O.M. received a MAP grant from American Alliance of Museums 2012-2013.
Current Status Pop-Up exhibit on display at Manhattan College Aug-Dec. 2014. MOM Conference and Hall of Fame planned, May 2015. Book fair is planned with Barnes and Noble May 6-10th to raise funds for M.O.M. Advisory Board is active. Director is online, blogging with social media, and has three interns and active community volunteers.Please contact founder M. Joy Rose about our current goals.
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Meet Our New Intern, Jenny [CLICK]

photoA 2010 graduate of Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY, Jenny Nigro first became interested in the topics of motherhood/maternity during the summer before her senior year. She spent the time both working as a mother’s helper and interning for a non-profit that supported pregnant and parenting teens in her community. In working with the teens, she observed how social institutions (the education and healthcare systems, for example) systematically deny teen mothers options for healthy choices on behalf of themselves and their babies. The resilience demonstrated by the clients of the program empowered Jenny to ask questions about ways to broaden resources for mothers, regardless of race, class, or age. Following college, she spent some time in the domestic violence field – both at the state level with the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence – and the local level, working as a case manager for a domestic violence service provider. She has returned to these questions about expanding access for mothers and is now supporting motherhood in a different way – working as a nanny while pursuing training to become a doula. She is excited to explore her intellectual curiosities about motherhood and society vis-a-vis the immersive platform of the Museum of Motherhood. @Spinningest_Jen

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The Woes of PMS

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Severe PMS as a Mental Disorder

As a first year clinical psychology graduate student, I had mixed feelings when I learned that severe Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) was officially recognized as a mental illness in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; a diagnostic tool used by therapists worldwide). Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), “a condition characterized by intense emotional and physical symptoms that occur between ovulation and menstruation”, is categorized under depressive disorders. It is a supercharged version of PMS, in which affected women experience extreme mood shifts that could disrupt their work and damage their relationships in addition to the regular PMS symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, and changes in sleep and eating habits. 75 percent of women are estimated to experience some form of PMS whereas 3 to 9 percent report symptoms of PMDD.

PMDD’s symptoms such as markedly depressed mood, decreased interest in usual activities, lack of energy, hypersomnia or insomnia, are similar to Major Depressive Disorder’s (MDD) yet they are cyclical, and occur between ovulation and menstruation. To qualify for diagnosis, one needs to show five of 11 potential symptoms in the week before the menses, and the symptoms should cause disruption with work, school, usual activities or relationships with others. As for the treatment, counseling, antidepressants, birth control pills, nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, diet and lifestyle changes are suggested. More detail on treatment approaches can be found here.

Currently, it is believed that normal hormonal fluctuations interact with serotonin systems, which in turn triggers pain, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Also PMDD has been associated with history of sexual abuse, domestic violence and perceived sexual discrimination as well as past unipolar depression, anxiety and other psychiatric disorders. On the other hand, Caplan, a research associate at Harvard University, claims that societal and interpersonal factors are usually the main cause rather than biological ones. She described PMS symptoms as the “last straw” for women in difficult life situations such as domestic abuse or job loss.

Although, PMDD has been included in the DSM for a long time now, many health professionals debate its existence and usefulness. The proponents argue that validation of the discomfort will encourage additional research and development of new therapies, and recognize women have special needs in mental health. Moreover, they argue that acknowledgment will increase the likelihood of insurance coverage and even alleviate the stigma attached.

On the other hand, a comprehensive literature research on the issue summarized the following as the reasons for opposing inclusion of PMDD as a mental disorder. The arguments are as the follows:

Concern 1: the PMDD label will harm women economically, politically, legally, and domestically

Concern 2: Putting a label on hormonal changes only in women is harmful

Concern 3: Research validating PMDD has been faulty

Concern 4: PMDD is a culture-bound condition

Concern 5: PMDD is due to situational, rather than biological, factors

Concern 6: PMDD was fabricated by pharmaceutical companies for financial gain.

Although the current evidence validates PMDD’s existence, personally, I was ambivalent about recognizing it as a mental disorder since the diagnosis can pathologize the menstrual cycle and stigmatize affected women by labeling them as ‘mentally ill’. Also, such labeling can prevent the individuals from discovering other factors in their lives that may be causing distress. I hope recognizing PMDD will not prevent the mental health professional from exploring potential causes other than the hormonal changes.

Yet as Chrisler states, whether PMDD is a mental disorder or not, it’s important to validate women’s experiences since “Whatever they’re experiencing, they’re experiencing”.

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Essential Reading List & Motherhood Hall of Fame [CLICK]

WE WILL BE SHARING YOUR SUGGESTIONS IN FEBRUARY – Thank You

Barnes & Noble and the Museum of Motherhood are having a book fair to raise funds for M.O.M. May 6-10, 2015

Recommend books for M.O.M.’s essential reading list. What does every woman (or man) who mothers need to read? Help us create an amazing list of books.

NOMINATE BOOKS for our “Essential Reading List.” Also suggest a person or group to host one of the Barnes & Noble evenings in NYC.  The Mom Egg Literary Review will be participating as one of our group evenings.

SUBMISSION FORM FOR “ESSENTIAL READINGS” I SUBMISSION FORM FOR MOTHERHOOD HALL OF FAME

Barnes&Noble

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Academic Motherhood- Elizabeth’s Story!

My name is Elizabeth Salem, and I am a wife, the mother of two, and a caregiver. I am also a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History at Case Western Reserve University. I study the nineteenth-century United States, women’s history, and the history of medicine.

Having gone from a single girl to a wife to a mother while working my way through graduate school, I can now say that motherhood has changed my academic experience far more profoundly than getting married ever did. It is not simply a matter of the sleepless nights and having to put family concerns above my work, but realizing that society’s expectations of who I am and what I can do changed the second I gave birth. I’ve learned that these expectations, and, by extension, those of the academy, are unrealistic and a giant structural problem. Becoming a caregiver for my husband’s parents only exacerbated these lessons, bringing home to me everything I’ve learned from my women’s history classes about household labor and economics.

My husband and I manage. We try to balance our work with our family life. I spend a lot of time writing early in the morning, late at night, and during what feels like stolen hours at the local library. There are other days when the house and our family take priority, and my dissertation notes collect dust on my bedroom floor. I work hard at remembering that all parts of this life we have built are equally valuable. That all of my work, academic or not, is important.

Of course there are days when I question what I am doing…I read the blog posts about “having it all” or “leaning in” and feel lousy about how I seem to do far too many things far too inadequately. I study Catholic mysticism and Buddhist mindfulness and ask myself why I’m studying a past that no longer exists anyway. I clean up after my kids and worry about my in-laws and put out all of the fires, and wonder if pursuing a doctorate will even be worth it when I’m done.

I have no simple answers. I don’t want to be glib about my experiences, or tell you that I have somehow figured this out. I have no idea what the future will bring. (The future also doesn’t exist, if you think about it.)

So here is what I do know, after a decade in the ivory tower:

1. I am a better mother and a better scholar because I am both of these things. It is amazing how quickly you can focus in on your writing when you realize that you have to write in fifteen-minute stretches. It is also amazing how knowing the history of American women can give you solace as a parent, when you realize that the ancestors went through all of this crazy too.

2. I am not always fine. And that’s okay. When I began graduate school, and, frankly, up until very, very recently, I tried never to show any weaknesses. I was always fine. I was always up for any assignment or job. Anyone could ask me for help, but I’d be damned before I’d admit to needing any. Somehow the hardships of parenting and caregiving were not going to apply to me, simply because I said they wouldn’t. Umm, yeah. You can guess how well that went. My children and my in-laws have taught me a great deal of humility. I have learned that I am not always all right. I have learned how to say no. Most importantly, I have learned how to fall flat on my face and how to get up again.

3. I am not alone. And everyone is “good enough.” Graduate school can be profoundly isolating. We’re trained in the fine art of living inside of our own heads, and to compare our work constantly to that of others and find it lacking. Slap marriage, caregiving, and parenthood on top of that and you can see why so many of us, students and professors alike, are having a difficult time. Life is a complicated, messy, and beautiful thing, however. The shadows and the light coexist. We don’t need to be perfect because, ultimately, we already are. Despite the pressures that both academia and parenting put on us regarding what we should be doing, at the end of the day, who we are as human beings is far more important than how well we perform a role.

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Exploring Motherhood In The Academy

Martha Joy Rose has been at the Graduate Center in New York City exploring the subject of motherhood through the Digital Humanities. You can see her blog at the CUNY Commons (CLICK HERE). If you have something to add, please contact Ms. Rose directly: MOMmuseum@gmail.com.

Motherhood in DH
Motherhood in DH
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Delaying Motherhood: Employment Incentive?

Delaying Motherhood: Will it work?

As you may have probably heard by now, Apple and Facebook had stated that they would be covering up to $20,000 of their employees’ egg freezing costs. The statement has received mixed reactions so far and, it seems that the debate will continue for a long time.

So what is egg freezing exactly? It is a procedure known as oocyte cryopreservation in which, a woman’s eggs are extracted, frozen and stored for future use. A round of freezing eggs costs something between $7,000-$12,000, plus the annual fees for drugs and storage that vary between $1,000 and $3,000. 

In 2012, The American Society for Reproductive Medicine lifted up the “experimental” title from the procedure yet warned against misleading women and it stated “Marketing this technology for the purpose of deferring childbearing may give women false hope and encourage women to delay childbearing”.

Traditionally, the method was used for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy yet Dr. Jamie Grifo, the program director of the New York University Fertility Center, states that in 2013, the majority of egg freezing cases were elective.

The supporters claim that the application gives the women the option to choose when they would like to have children without the pressure of a ticking biological clock. The experience seems to be psychologically liberating as well, as 53% of the women who have frozen their eggs describe the experience as “empowering”.

Despite its advantages, the new policy should also be evaluated from a critical perspective. First and foremost, egg freezing is no guarantee of getting pregnant. In addition to ASRM’s warning on “giving women false hope”, National Center for Health Research explains that “fewer than 1 in 4 women can expect to get pregnant and have a baby” after successfully freezing the eggs.

It is also important to look at how this coverage will affect the culture of the organization. Seven years ago, Christy  Jones, the CEO of Extend Fertility, reached to companies to inquire about including egg freezing in their benefits yet got a pushback as they stated “Well, we don’t want to seem Machiavellian, that we’re paying to freeze a woman’s eggs so she just keeps working harder”. Such attitude might exacerbate the discrimination against women in career advancement issues, as their colleagues will have the impression that they could have waited. Glenn Cohen from Harvard Law School examines the implications of such policies and asks if such policies imply that work and pregnancy are incompatible. 

Addressing, the alarmingly low numbers of women in technology should start with treating the causes, not the symptoms. Currently, women account for only 30% and 31% of the workforce in Apple and Facebook, respectively.  Additionally, according to a study by the Center for Work-Life Policy, 56% of women in tech, leave their careers at the mid-level, double the quit rate of men. Fortune’s study on 716 women who left tech shows that 68% cites motherhood as a reason to leave tech although only a small 6% wants to be stay home mothers. Most mothers would have happily returned to their jobs if the maternity policies were better. These numbers, combined with a 19% of women who’s frozen their eggs saying “they might have had a child earlier if their workplace had been more flexible” from New York University’s 2013 survey, show that the real problem lies within the compatibility of parenting and work. 

Although, tech companies offer long maternity leaves and cash support, some fail to offer resources to support their employees in parenting. Facebook, for instance, announced plans for a $120 million housing community with amenities that even included a bicycle repair shop and a doggy care but no daycare for kids.  Similar to Michael Lee, I would have preferred to see these companies come up with creative solutions that changed the corporate cultures without penalizing women for motherhood.

Lastly, no matter what our stance is in the issue, I think we all should consider the following questions posed in Quora:

  1. What effect does this benefit have on fetal/maternal health and aggregate health care spending?
  1. Is there a comparable benefit provided to men?
  1. What behavioral effects will this have on affected employees?

 

Please comment below and get a discussion started!

-Rozita