Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The social construct of motherhood is nuanced: we admonish her for her human failings while simultaneously revering her saintly sacrifice in her pursuit of perfection. Over the last two centuries there has been a shift away from community-based child-rearing, reorienting mothers to the center of this important responsibility, while simultaneously eroding the perceived value of child-rearing. In the 21st century, many mothers work full time, only to come home to the “second shift,” taking care of their children. The unspoken belief is that women are expected to be the caretakers in our society, as these responsibilities often fall disproportionately to them. This paper seeks to understand where notions of the good mother emerged in the West and how society perceives the role of motherhood today. This paper explores how motherhood ideologies have been shaped by public narratives, intensive mothering ideology, neoliberalism, and social media. I argue that these structural forces are imbued with long-standing misogynistic beliefs, embedded within patriarchal systems that constrain mothers and thus prevent women from truly flourishing in this crucial role.
Author: Shave, Johanna
Institution: Trent University
Language: English
Topic: Gender and Feminist Studies
Subfield: Gender Studies
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7215483183