America’s sharp economic downturn this year hit men harder than women, and “it’s expected that by the end of the year, for the first time in history, the majority of workers in the U.S. will be women.” TIME’s survey of roughly 3,500 adults (see poll details here) found that “men and women were in broad agreement about what matters most to them; gone is the notion that women’s rise comes at men’s expense.”

Below are some results from their latest poll, occasionally contrasted with data from the early 1970’s. The visual charts and graphs were assembled by Andrea Ford and Deirdre Van Dyk. (Click on images to see a larger view)

Accepting New Gender Roles

“Large majorities, across ages and incomes and ideologies, view women’s growing role in the work force as good for both the economy and society in general. … 84% [of those polled] affirm that husbands and wives negotiate the rules, relationships and responsibilities more than those of earlier generations.” Marriages and partnerships are predominately happy, which can likely be attributed to equality between partners.

Women in the Workplace, Government & Military

More Power Means More Stress

Marriage & Motherhood

Gaps Still Exist

Women might be working against themselves, perhaps prolonging the gender gap in some circumstances:

Why might women have more trouble working under female bosses than men do?

More women feel resented than men feel resentful. Do women feel insecure wielding power in the workplace?

Sharing the Fight for Equality

The commonalities between men and women vastly outweigh the differences, and it’s evident the women’s rights movement has accomplished a lot since the 1970’s. As Gibbs reports, “It’s as though sensible people are too busy to bother bickering about who takes out the garbage or who deserves the corner office; many of the deepest conflicts are now new ones that men and women share.”

Source:

Gibbs, Nancy, with Andrea Ford and Deirdre Van Dyk. “The State of the American Woman: What Women Want Now.” TIME Magazine. 26 October 2009: 25-33

Women can choose their level of anonymity, express themselves without censorship, and bare their bodies without judgment. They receive an outpouring of support, understanding, and acceptance from other women on the site. It’s also a great place for teen moms to find safe harbor without criticism.

The sentiments can range from surprised and excited,

EVE, age 27:

Having spent the last 14 years suffering from Anorexia Nervosa before becoming pregnant I worried about how my changing body may bring back the thoughts, feelings and negativity I had experienced for so long. … I have to say I have been happily surprised by my own reaction. I loved being pregnant, took to it like a duck to water. I enjoyed my ever blossoming bump and showed it off to the max. My worries stuck about how I would feel post-pregnancy, but here I am, 3 weeks after giving birth to my beautiful daughter and feeling (and looking!) fabulous! ” [2 NSFW]

To depressed and disgusted:

REVAE, age 22:

“When Im naked I feel disgusted with my appearance, My husband says he likes my new look and that he thinks that’s the way a mother is supposed to look. But I just feel so unsexy.” [3 NSFW]

Many often also discover how they re-contextualize their bodies, now that they’re no longer just for physical activity or sexual purposes, but for creating and sustaining life.

ANONYMOUS age 25:

“I am still breastfeeding my child and so I think of my breasts in a different light. After feeling they were there to attract, they’ve been drank out for nearly 2 years. At first it felt as if my body wasn’t mine at all, it was just performing all these things for my child. Today it feels like my breasts.” [4 NSFW]

Many frequently open up about other issues as well, such as sexual abuse, domestic violence, resentment toward children, temptations of infidelity, and more.

It’s a forum where any person, female or not, pregnant or not, can be impacted by the honesty and kindness between members. It’s rare to find an online forum with no negativity or judgment, where it’s solely a safe place to feel loved and supported in a time of need.

Thanks to BRITTANY in FLORIDA for this website suggestion!

Sources NSFW – there is nudity on this site.

[1] The Shape of a Mother

[2] “Starting to Bloom” – Eve, 27

[3] “Trying to Cope with My Shape as a New Mother” – Revae, 22

[4] “When did it ever feel like my Body?” Anonymous

Howe called for all women to join in national peace efforts, insisting that mothers have a responsibility to not only raise productive members of society, but to shape those societies through political activism.

Activist Anna Reeves Jarvis

Anna Reeves Jarvis helped spearhead the national movement of activist motherhood. She aided both sides of the Civil War with camp sanitation and medical care, promoted universal access of medicine to the poor, and organized Mother’s Work Day Clubs in 1858. These clubs collected mothers across the nation, and worked toward cleaner water and sanitation across the country, for the betterment of their families and communities as a whole.

Jarvis is largely credited with prompting the national celebration of mothers for peace, and the creation of the American holiday Mother’s Day in 1914.

However, as the holiday gradually eroded to nothing more than an exploitation by commercial organizations – particularly florists and card companies – Jarvis led a campaign to eliminate the holiday altogether. Needless to say, her efforts were unsuccessful, and Americans still celebrate Mother’s Day, not at all in the way the founders envisioned it.

In a recent speech, President Barack Obama said, “I think that if you just put the mothers in charge for a while, things would get resolved.”

On Mother’s Day, 2009, we celebrate the activist moms who make their presence known, and pursue a stronger and safer community.

Noo Dal Molin, in conjunction with CODEPINK, held a 24-hour vigil this Mother’s Day in Washington DC. The purpose was to honor all women in the U.S. and Middle East who have lost children, spouses and friends as a result of the current war.

A group of anti-war activists gathered in front of the Leviev Jewelry store in New York this Mother’s Day, calling all shoppers to boycott the Israeli diamond mogul’s products.

Lev Leviev, the owner of the company, funded a group of Israelis to invade a Palestinian settlement, a battle in which hundreds of women and children were killed.

Veterans for Peace held a special event this Mother’s Day in Binghamton, NY, with a dramatic reading of Howe’s Mother’s Day Proclamation.

The president of the organization insists that senseless combat is never the path to peace, that “we need to be diplomatic in our discussion of [conflict], and find some common interest.”

FemmeToxic, a nonprofit group united to rid cosmetics of unnecessary chemicals, marched in protest this Mother’s Day. The goal was to raise awareness of the toxins in many traditional Mother’s Day gifts, and to encourage boycotting those companies’ products.

Fiona Hanley of Breast Cancer Action Montreal, a sister-organization of FemmeToxic, insists that people should “put pressure on politicians and cosmetics companies to stop adding these untested and dangerous ingredients.”

Mother and actress Lisa Kudrow joins the Ploughshares Fund for Mother’s Day, a nonprofit organization that “invests in security and peace worldwide”.

Actress Cynthia Nixon took the national stage this Mother’s Day, on behalf of Planned Parenthood. She gave a generous donation to the organization, and released a message to all potential donors, saying, “ there is no organization that supports motherhood more than Planned Parenthood.”

Joellen Raderstorf is the founder and executive director of Mothers Acting Up, an organization that “invites mothers to stretch the traditional mother roles to include public and passionate advocation for the world’s children.”

Activist Pilar Onatra, with daughter Sofia

Pilar Onatra coordinates an educational program for the British Colombia Council of Families, and makes short documentaries to raise awareness about the struggles of immigrant mothers.

According to her, “Mother’s Day is a day of peaceful activism, rather than hearts, flowers and Hallmark cards.” We couldn’t agree more.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter for regular updates.

Empower your Friends, Empower Yourself.

Sources:

“In the Name of Mothers Around the World.” Jodie Evans, Womens Media Center Online. May 6, 2009

CODEPINK Mother’s Day 2009 Home Page // “Women Say No To War”

“The Coalition For Justice in the Middle East” // Albawaba UAE Online

Mother’s Day Celebration Online // The Story of Anna Jarvis

“Questions For Joellen Raderstorf, Mother and Activist.” Jabril Faraj, Boulder County News. May 4, 2009

“March Targets Cosmetics Ingredients.” Anne Sutherland, The Gazette. May 10, 2009