‘In order for all women to have real choices all along the line, we need fully to understand the power and powerlessness embodied in motherhood in patriarchal culture.’ – Adrienne Rich
Like so many decisions in a woman’s life, the decision to have children is a double-edged sword. Women who decide not to have children can be seen as selfish or ‘defying God’s will.’ After childbirth or adoption women in the US have no right to maternity leave. Not to mention the disproportionate amount of work women do in regards to child-rearing.
Have you thought about whether or not you’d like to have children? Maybe you are already a mother. Either way the decision about motherhood is deeply personal. This month we’ll discuss our relationships to our mothers and how they may have evolved over time, our thoughts on having children, and the patriarchal structures that simultaneoulsy exhalt women for being childbearers while giving them little or no support structure to successfully have and raise children.
Join us for a deep dive into the intimate decision that is motherhood! As always there will be wine, snacks, goody bags and a good time!*
The Emotional Labor Union is a monthly feminist discussion group that welcomes anyone who identifies as female. This event costs money because we believe in the fair compensation of women’s labor. If the cost is prohibitive to you please email theeludc@gmail.com. We’d like this event to be accessible to everyone.
The Mission of The Emotional Labor Union is to amplify women’s voices and experiences through curated feminist topics.
The 4 Values of the ELU:
- Voices as power: The ELU is a safe space and a platform to talk about your experiences. Devoting time to critical thinking and in-person interaction empowers us to sharpen our speaking skills and define the source of our feelings as well as reminds us we have voices that deserve to be heard.
- Community IRL: The ELU brings people together in real life who prioritize being intentional and carving out time and space to knowing themselves and others better. This is a group that provides love, support and where no question or opinion is off-limits.
- Strength in numbers: The more time we spend having invigorating in-person discussions, finding common ground with others, and cementing how we feel about topics that affect us, the more powerful we become both individually and collectively.
- Feminism as Self-Care: Members of the ELU practice prioritizing themselves by devoting time to pursuing their interests and their $ by supporting causes they think are worthwhile. The ELU gives everyone a nourishing and energizing experience that allows you to find your own voice on matters that are important to you.
* This event will be recorded and potentially made into a podcast. All participants will have an opportunity to remain anonymous if they so choose.
