Embracing Maternal Feminism
Integrating Feminism and Motherhood
In honor of Mother’s Day, we bring you Erica Komisar's rousing call for "maternal feminism." To build a healthy society, we must value and support the crucial role mothers play in early child development.
Embracing Maternal Feminism: Integrating Feminism and Motherhood
Erica Komisar
Maternal feminism is a philosophy that upholds the value of mothering as foundational to a healthy society. This vision does not confine women to traditional roles; rather, it elevates the act of mothering as an esteemed and vital contribution to our collective wellbeing.
Central to maternal feminism is the understanding of early childhood development, informed by decades of neuroscience research. A mother’s presence is particularly important in the first three years of a child’s life. These early years are not just a period of physical growth but of profound emotional and psychological development. This stage is marked by an extraordinary phase of neurogenesis, where there is rapid cell growth and development in the brain. During this critical period, the brain’s plasticity allows for the formation of a dense network of neural connections, which is influenced greatly by a child's experiences and interactions.
This rapid time of brain development creates the foundation for a child’s personality and emotional resilience. Secure attachment, fostered by consistent, loving maternal presence, is crucial during this time.
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In a piece that pairs well with Erica Komisar’s call for maternal feminism, Featured Author Louise Perry similarly recognizes the need to reconcile feminism and the needs of mothers.
Women and Children First
“My proposal, instead, is that feminists should play a different status game entirely by pugnaciously asserting the status of motherhood—a status no man can ever achieve, whether he be a CEO, an astronaut, or the President of the United States.”