Now,
we're free on so many levels, and one manifestation of that freedom is the
vibrant world we've created online. Sisterhoods that cross race and
politics and religion and age as we share ideas and pain, joy and pride, birth
and loss and every other story that is part of living a life. There have
been a couple of wonderful responses to this irritating TIMES piece (and it's
not the first...) One of my own favorites, Mom-101,
whose admirers are legion, wrote
"...once you
get past the first half of the article, there's actually some solid information
in there....But I wish [all] that had been to focus of an article about my
favorite blogging community that just made the front page of my favorite
section of my favorite Sunday paper. I wish it had opened with the yearning
of bloggers for the community to return to good writing, and the evidence that
in the end, that's mostly what pays off....
Of course, there
are more. My friend Danielle Wiley, known to many of her friends as Foodmomiac but also an executive at
Edelman PR, has also weighed in.
I invite you to
read the full piece and form your own opinions, but sentences like “bringing
together participants for some real-time girly bonding” might very well stop
you in your tracks. As I write this, my husband (and fellow Edelman executive
Michael Wiley) is at SXSW. Would Mendelsohn classify that experience as macho
bonding? Or would she write that he is attending a conference for the purposes
of education and networking? Why do people, including Ms. Mendlesohn, continue
to refer to networking among women as girly bonding? I seriously doubt the
participants at Bloggy Boot Camp were wearing jammies and braiding each other’s
hair. However, from the tenor of the piece, it was pretty easy to jump to that
conclusion.
Here's
the bottom line: I'm old enough to be the mother of both of these women
and many of their peers yet they have welcomed me as a sister - a blogger and a
friend. They've honored the sappy posts I've written about my sons
and my marriage and
they've shared ideas and advice in comments, in twitter and even in real life.
They and their compatriots are talented, skillful compassionate,
ornery pioneers
who have built what I think of as the new quilting bee, the new Red Tent where
they share the wisdom and mysteries that are women's lives. And they do
much more - just go check out the list in Liz's post. Not for one moment are they
silly or unaware or careless or trivial. And to gain a few points with
silly headlines and denigrating phrases isn't bad taste, it's also bad
journalism. Go see for yourself.
Great response!
Alyzabeth's Mommy
Posted by: Alyson | April 20, 2010 at 04:55 AM
I love your response, and it reminded me to add another element to my list of the diversity of "mom blogs" I enjoy — those of different ages. I love reading blogs of people younger and older than I am. I was aggravated that the article lumped every woman parenting writer into one category of insipidity.
Thanks so much!
Posted by: Lauren @ Hobo Mama | March 17, 2010 at 01:33 AM
The issue is that the traditional media has some concerned that we amateur 'journalists' are out here taking their readers away. You should hear Rupert Murdoch's views about bloggers. Its ok though as you get to have your own say and it was great.
Posted by: lilly | March 16, 2010 at 06:59 AM
thanks for this post, and for posting a pic of a nursing momma as well!
Posted by: Dianna | March 15, 2010 at 11:23 PM
I'm not quite old enough to be their moms (more like the older sister who bought them beer when they were teens), but I have had some of the same experiences of the women's movement in the 70's and 80's that you write about. Head-patting condescension to women's endeavors is nothing new. It's just more annoying when it comes from other women.
Posted by: Glennia | March 15, 2010 at 05:19 PM
Thanks so much for your perspective on this..that we are not all silly young girls who just need a head pat and to be sent home to mind our babies.
Posted by: jodifur | March 15, 2010 at 01:12 PM
That we have to keep saying (and I guess shouting) these things over and over again is frustrating, but I suppose not surprising. While we have mad so many advances as women, things are still so much the same in institutional views of women who are mothers. Just one more reason for all generations of mothers to push forward for world domination! :)
Posted by: PunditMom/Joanne Bamberger | March 15, 2010 at 08:36 AM
I totally agree. And while I am not sure about the validity of the bloggy boot camp (and I really can't say, because I wasn't there, it might have been awesome) to belittle the power of women who write on the internet is dangerous and ill informed.
Posted by: Goon Squad Sarah | March 14, 2010 at 11:56 AM
Cynthia, so glad to have your perspective as a counterpoint to those in the same generation who insist this article was illuminating. Your voice is such an important one in our community - thank you.
Posted by: Julie @ The Mom Slant | March 14, 2010 at 11:24 AM
glad to read your comments - this kind of media criticism is important. I'm teaching this semester, and i'm thinking i'll have them read both the article and your response....
Posted by: SueSalinger | March 14, 2010 at 09:39 AM
Thank you! I am old enough to be their mom too, and too old to be starting over, but thank heavens, young enough to learn new tricks! Ie, BLOGGING!!!!!
Posted by: Wendy Wiseman | March 14, 2010 at 12:38 AM
Rock on, Cynthia! It's the work of your generation that lets ours do what we do. Thanks for reminding us the fight isn't over. Sigh.
Posted by: mom-101 | March 14, 2010 at 12:25 AM