Why is the word “mothers” being used instead of “parents” in NOWs Mothers and Caregivers Economic Rights (MCER) work?
A. One focus for NOW’s MCER effort is developing a series of actions to address media misinformation concerning feminism, gender and caregiving. By reclaiming the language of family and mothers, we are correcting a decades-long assault on feminist activism. This propaganda campaign, which has been used for political gains by our opposition, presents a warped image of the women’s movement as anti-mother, anti-motherhood and anti-family. The respective social and economic penalties associated with motherhood and fatherhood are not comparable and require us to address the unique disadvantages women face when they become mothers. NOW, through its MCER work, does and will continue to address the concerns of all caregivers, which also includes fathers and men who provide care.
