As I’ve mentioned before, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the term “mommyblogger.” But I guess I’m going to have to come to grips with it and use it for my world domination agenda in light of a list I just found!
I had no idea this had come out, but a friend pointed me to a Top 50 list — the Top 50 Mommy Blogs. It’s really nice to be included with some of my faves and women who were my inspiration when I started writing PunditMom, like Mom-101, mothergoosemouse, Motherhood Uncensored, Girl’s Gone Child and, of course my fellow MOMocrat, CityMama (MOMocrats got a pretty nice mention on a different list!).
But I’m thinking that if the term “mommy blog” is going to stick, it’s time to redefine it to mean what we want it to. Yes, we write stories about the influences of our motherhood experiences, but if those who like to brand us and pat us on the heads as cute little moms with a funny little hobby, they need to look closer. We’re really writing about a lot more — there’s a plethora of compelling writing on mom blogs that reveals plenty about our lives above and beyond wiping noses and butts.
It’s just easier for some to look at us as two-dimensional, interchangeable and fungible. But I’ve got a little news for them. We’re gaining a lot of ground and when they least expect it, we’ll be the ones setting public policy agendas and lobbying for legislation we believe in.
They won’t see it coming, but that’s OK. We’ll be benevolent dictators!
April 9th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Congrats! (your like one of 5 I had heard of!)
April 9th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
Congrat.s on making the list!
I will have to check some of those out.
April 9th, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Congratulations! You’re one of the first “mom bloggers” I discovered, and I understand your ambivalence about the label.
April 9th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
Congrats for your honors! I do understand your ambivalence. You are a political blogger who happens to be a Mommy, not the other way around. While of course some bloggers are definitely kid-focused you are most definitely not.
We’ve come a long way since I first saw you comment on that blog on the WaPo.
April 9th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
What about those of us who are not mommys? I feel like we can’t join the club….
April 9th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Congrat’s! You are the only blog I read that is not education related or written by a personal friend.
I find your insights about womens issues and politics to be inspiring. After reading another Mommmy blogs article about all the reasons to not write her… (send there from twitter) I am especially pleased to see you accept comments.
After all if we blog in public-there are bound to be -well public responses.
April 9th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
JudyinKy has a point. What about women who aren’t mothers or who really don’t blog with their mothering foot forward?
April 10th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Yeah! Good for you.
And thanks for spreading the news that Mommy Blogging covers a lot of territory.
April 10th, 2009 at 7:13 am
You so deserve to be on that list!
I think the term “mommy blogger” discounts what we embody, but only because society still doesn’t hold as much value in the title “mommy” as “CEO.” You and I know how wrong society can be.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:58 am
Kelley, Why would someone blog if they don’t really want comments? It is funny — there is one somewhat high profile feminist who shall rename nameless who will let you write a comment but won’t post any! :O
On another point, I think there are loads of women who blog and have a motherhood perspective to some of their writing who get tagged as mommybloggers when that’s not what they’re really about. I say, everyone is welcome at this party!