What makes a Mom? There’s a stereotype that mothers are selfless angels devoted to the home, sacrificing their goals and ambition to serve others – the ‘traditional’ mother as happy homemakers baking chocolate chip cookies for their children. But motherhood is much more than that.
As we honor Mother’s Day, let’s use it as an opportunity to recognize the diversity of family structures and break down the ‘traditional’ messages of motherhood. Brands that use a safe, ‘traditional’ marketing campaign for the special day won’t offend any customers, but they also won’t make waves or build a loyal customer base.
This Mother’s Day, let’s redefine what it means to be a mom:
Diverse ethnicities
Diversity and inclusion can come in small and big gestures. There are Caucasian moms, Black moms, Hispanic moms, and Asian moms, to name a few. But they are usually represented in tropes. Caucasian moms are free-range, gentle, and kind, Black moms are typically portrayed as a ‘strong black mother’ who is fierce and authoritative, and an Asian mom’s ‘helicopter parenting.’
Let’s not perpetuate these stereotypes and remember that moms are just humans looking out for their children at the end of the day. So pick how you structure your Mother’s Day campaign carefully and use images that challenge these stereotypes.
LGBTQA communities
Gender-specific events can ring differently in different families. Families don’t all look the same, and we can’t assume that each family has one mother and one father. As same-sex marriages are legalized in more American states, and worldwide, more children are being raised by same-sex parents, adoptive parents, or blended households.
But the way we celebrate Mother’s Day hasn’t reflected the changes in society. So when Mother’s Day rolls around, there’s a big chance that LGBTQA families are excluded.
The majority of Mother’s Day campaign posters feature cis and heteronormative families, and that’s where families with two moms might feel out of place. As a brand aiming to be more diverse and inclusive in how they celebrate Mother’s Day, it’s the perfect time to acknowledge and advocate for LGBTQA families.
This Mother’s Day, we appreciate the effort, kindness, and unconditional love that mothers around the world are ever-ready to provide with this soul-nurturing compilation. Create heartwarming Mother’s Day content with 123RF.
Mothers hard at work
Straying from the original intent of Mother’s Day, it has now become the celebration focusing on a mother’s selfless sacrifices and appreciating the domestic and emotional labor of a woman – thanked for drying tears and cleaning the mess. But that’s not all there is to be a mother. Aside from being a caretaker of their children, many mothers also build or thrive in their careers.
When we look at conventional Mother’s Day greeting cards, we’re usually met with messages, images, or stories about the nurturing side of mothers – in the kitchen, in the bedroom reading the kids a bedtime story. But we rarely see working mothers represented, and some might even argue that a working mother has two full-time jobs!
Becoming a mom at any age
The term ‘older mom’ refers to anyone having a baby after turning 35. While the narrative is that a pregnancy past this age is considered riskier – the chances of medical conditions like miscarriage, stillbirth, and preeclampsia are higher. Luckily, with the help of medical advancements, the rate of people having babies in their late 30s has consistently increased in the past decade.
Conversely, some choose the path of becoming a mother early on in their life. There’s no right or wrong answer to this. What we do know is that being a mother doesn’t stop after your grown kids have left the nest. No matter how much older someone becomes, they still need their mother.
Happy Mother’s Day
While being a mother will forever be part of who you are, it doesn’t define your entire being. Being a mom isn’t a definition; some might even say that being a mom is a feeling. Redefine who you are despite all the responsibilities of motherhood.
And to all the mothers out there – single mothers, stepmothers, adoptive mothers, foster mothers, LGBTQA+ parents, grieving mothers, and all – Happy Mother’s Day.
With Mother’s Day coming up, you’re bound to be up the wall with content creation enigmas! Check out this guide on how to create a successful Mother’s Day campaign, and remember to use these perfect Mother’s Day caption ideas!