This book unpacks and interrogates dominant constructions of mothering, making use of interdisciplinary, ideological and theoretical perspectives to investigate how new rhetorics of mothering can expand the realm of maternal care-givers beyond the biological definitions of motherhood.
This diverse collection is at the cutting-edge of rhetoric, feminism, and motherhood studies, and the chapters challenge the confines of biological parenting as heteronormative within the neo-liberal nuclear family. The contributors examine, how despite the diversity of parental relationships, many are excluded by the understanding of mothers biologically tied to their children. The volume seeks to expose the underpinnings of biological primacy and argues that 21st-century families and familial circumstances are ill-served by biological ideology. Topics include Re-Imagining Queer Black Motherhood, Chicana Feminist approaches to reproductive justice, the commercialization and medicalization of infertility, and ableism and motherhood.
This is a unique and fascinating book suitable for students and scholars in gender studies, sexuality studies, communication studies, sociology, and cultural studies.
Author(s): Valerie Renegar, Kirsti Cole
Series: Interdisciplinary Research in Motherhood
Publisher: Routledge
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 260
City: London
Cover
Half Title
Series Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Contents
Contributors
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Resisting Rhetorics of Mothering, Intensive Mothering, and Biological Determinism
Introduction
Biological Primacy and Intensive Mothering
Book Overview
Part I: Intersections of Motherhood Figures Beyond Biology
Part II: Refiguring Media Representations of Motherhood Beyond Biology
Part III: Refiguring the Rhetoric of Motherhood Beyond Biology
References
Part I: Intersections of Motherhood Figures Beyond Biology
1. Muslim Mothering and Divesting from Whiteness
Disruptive Mothering
Security Moms Against Muslims
The Role of Dogs in U.S. Nationalism
Islamic Doctrine and Dogs
Brown Children and Unleashed Dogs
Disruptive Mothering and Coalition Building
References
2. SBF Seeking Motherhood: An Autoethnographic Journey Toward Pregnancy
Introduction
Methodology
Findings
Beliefs About the Single Black Mother Trope
The Unspoken Truth About Black Women's Fertility and Fertility Treatments
Questioning Decisions of Path to Motherhood
Conclusion
References
3. Re-Imagining Queer Black Motherhood
Introduction
Autoethnography
Historical Perspective
Black Motherhood
Queer Motherhood
Theoretical Framework
Black Feminism
Narratives and Analysis
Mothers, Daughters, and Socialization for Survival
Bloodmothers, Othermothers, and Women-Centered Networks
Bloodmother (Biological Motherhood)
The Reality of (Queer) Black Motherhood
Conclusion
References
4. Rhetorically Constructing Motherhood in Pregnancy Loss
Women's Stories of Pregnancy Loss
Motherhood as Imagined
Motherhood as Performative
Motherhood as Biological
References
5. Comadrisma, Mamás, and Tías: An Intersectional Chicana Feminist Approach to Comunidad and Reproductive Justice
Comadrisma
Comadrisma as a Manifestation of Othermothering
Comadrisma in the Academy
Comadrisma as Repro-Justice
Note
References
Part II: Refiguring Media Representations of Motherhood Beyond Biology
6. Donors and Disclosures: Rhetorical Explanations of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Parenthood in Children's Literature
Reproductive Scholarship and the Biology of Parenthood
Erasing Privileges of Whiteness and Class Status in Donor Stories
Desperate to Deliver: Longing to Be a Mother
Donors and Gift Giving
Anthropomorphism in Donor Stories
Conclusion: Moving Beyond Simplistic Donor Disclosures
Notes
References
7. Las No-Madres: The Commercialization and Medicalization of Infertility in Quién quiere ser madre
Notes
References
8. The Limitations of (Privileged) Maternal Appeals: Sandra Steingraber's Constructions of Mothering in a Toxic Environment
Maternal Appeals, Neoliberalism, and Intensive (Total) Mothering
Reinforcing Intensive Mothering Through Privileged Appeals
Toxins as a Threat to Intensive Mothering
Mitigating Toxic Exposure Through Intensive Mothering
Conclusions
References
9. Ableism and Motherhood: Invisible Illness and Moral Implications of "Good" Mothering
"Good" Mothering: A Review of Literature
"Good" Mother as the "Biologically or Medically Abled" Mother: A Master Narrative
Critical Narrative Analysis
Artifacts Constructing Ableist Motherhood
Ableist Constructions of the "Good" Mother
Resisting Ableist "Good" Mother Rhetoric: Counter-Narratives
Reimagining the Shared Verbs of "Good" Mothering
Counter-Narrative Verbs of "Good" Mothering
Conclusions for Studying and Understanding Motherhood Rhetoric and Invisibly Ill Mothers
References
10. "'But This is Supposed to be the Happiest Time of my Life!': The Neoliberal Turn in Women's Discourses of Postpartum in Our Bodies, Ourselves"
Introduction
Feminist Rhetorical Conversations of Our Bodies, Ourselves and the Evolution Toward Neoliberal Motherhood
Feminist Critique of Our Bodies, Ourselves "Coping with Postpartum" in 1976 to "Thoughts and Emotions" in 2011
From the "Second Stage" of Postpartum in 1976 to the "Early Adjustment" Phase in 2011
From "The Third Stage" of Postpartum in 1976 to the "Emotional Challenges" of 2011
Myths of Motherhood—From the "Fantasy" Mom of the 1970s to Today's "Supermom"
Conclusions and Implications
References
11. Spiritual Mothers: Evangelical Practices of Mothering in the 21st Century
The Christian Cult of True Motherhood
GirlDefined: Biblical Womanhood = Spiritual Mothering
Sarah Bessey: Mothering = Spiritual
Conclusion
References
Part III: Refiguring the Rhetoric of Motherhood Beyond Biology
12. Reconceptualizing "Maternity" To Recognize Men: Images of Pregnant Trans Men as Visual Argument
Representations and Contemporary Recognition of Reproduction
Visual Argument as Method for Indexing Ideographs
Mainstream Trans Photography
Thomas Beatie
Trystan Reese
Wyley Simpson
Discussion
References
13. A Visual Definition of Caregiving: Caring About, Caring For, and the Feminization of Care
Caregiving, Motherhood, and Gender
Artifact and Visual Framing Analysis
Caregiving is Intimate and Familial
Caring about leads to Caring for in Unpaid Caregiving
Conclusion
Note
References
14. #MotherofExiles: Gender and Race in Motherhood Appeals to Protest Family Separation Policies
Protesting the Family Separation Policy
Prior Constructions of Motherhood Appeals
Gendered Invoking of Motherhood in the Mother's Day Rallies
Problematizing the Construction of Motherhood: Intersections of Race and Class
Conclusion
References
15. "Good" Mothering and the Question of Migrant Mothers at the Border
Literature Review
Method
Frames
Frame One: Migrants as "Bad" Mothers
Frame Two: Migrants as "Good" Mothers
Frame Three: Foster Mothers as "Good" Mothers
Discussion
Conclusion
References
16. Challenges to Neoliberal Parenting and The Rise of the Ideal Stepmother
Introduction
Intensive Mothering
Mothering in the Neoliberal Context
Stepmothers: Challenges and Disruptions
Stepmothers Challenge Narratives of Biological Primacy
Stepmothers Challenge Narratives of Intensive Mothering
Ideal Stepmothers as Neo-Liberal Models
Conclusion
References
Afterword
References
Index
