Blog post number 1: Birthmothers and feminism

    Addressing the connections and challenges between birthmothers and feminists, it is clear from the “Beggars and Choosers” readings that birthmothers had a lack of support from feminists.  Solinger states that CUB women who looked to feminists organizations with claims about birthmother rights were seen as out-of-date and non-feminist (116).   Most women who were affiliated with a feminist organization, such as NOW, in the early stages of second wave feminism, “were deeply concerned with articulating resistance to the idea – and to public polices supporting the idea – that motherhood was the life-defining activity and status for women,” (116).  

     Birthmothers believed that the loss of their children should be included as a feminist concern because the loss of child was a difficult issue for a mother.  Carole Anderson stated in a NOW meeting in the early 1970s that, “the real issue for me was losing my son.  I thought of that as a feminist issue.  I couldn’t think of a worse way to oppress a woman,” (116).  However, the battle continued for Anderson and other birthmothers like Lee Campbell.  She tried to make ties with CUB and NOW, but NOW, “refused Lee’s claims that birthmothers in her era had lacked options, had experienced coercion, and had been used to profit others,” (117).  NOW believed that birthmothers and the adopting parents both made a personal choice when it came to adoption.  Also, Anderson was told by feminists that adoption was not a feminist issue because women benefited from getting adopted babies,” (117). 

    In one way I can see why the feminists disregarded the birthmothers because, from what I know from taking a Women’s Voices class, the second wave was about showing to the public that there was more to being a woman than being a mother.  However, I would have hoped that the feminists would have listed to the birthmothers more because these women did face an issue that was considered feminist.  I say this because feminist issues, to me, is about helping women who do not fit the “typical” norms.   Women who wanted to more than mothers, who wanted to practice sex more freely, who wanted support as an unwed, single birthmother. 

     When it comes to feminists issues today, I believe that feminists today would be more welcoming to birthmothers’ concerns.  The readings that we as a class have read show the struggles that unwed birthmothers face when it comes to adoption.  We are more open to talking about it and getting a feel as to what these women went through.  Before, it was such a touchy subject that most people did not want to touch it.  While it does anger me that feminists treated birthmothers harshly, you can imagine it was hard for feminists in the first place to get their voice out through the issues they already had on their agenda.  Imagine being a feminist and then adding birthmothers’ struggles to the agenda.  It doesn’t sound so easy. 

-Mickey N.

Solinger, R. (2001).  "Clamining rights in te era of choice: Part II: Concerned united birthparents," from Beggars and choosers: How the politics of choice shapes adoption, abortion, and welfare in the United States.  NY: Hill and Wang, p.103-138.