Just how important is Mother’s Day in a patriarchal society?

Is there actually a dire need for it? In a society, where women are perceived as the heads of the houses but with no true fiscal power outside of it, ought there be a celebration of women, instead of solely caretakers? And if so, oughtn’t mothers be celebrated for their sacrifices on all days?

While there’s no denying the symbolic importance of Mother’s Day, a day where mother’s everywhere get to feel a little extra special, is the holiday a mere capitalisation of a moral idea? 

Ann Jarvis, the initiator of Mother’s Day, did in fact campaign against the grand-scale commercialization of the holiday, because mothers ought to be celebrated all year-round, one day does not begin to define the worth and power a woman holds.

With the reinforcement of Mother’s Day throughout the years, the loving notion grew into a capitalistic ploy that plays into the profit margins of large corporations; “buy this dishwasher to keep your mom’s dishes happy!”, “this washing machine is assured to provide your mom with everlasting happiness, buy now for a lifelong guarantee of unsolicited love! Terms and conditions apply.” 

Do house chores equate happiness?

When does it end?

While being a mother is certainly a dream of many, it’s not the end game scenario for most. And this pegs the ultimate question is child-bearing and raising all a woman is fit for? Is that the sole purpose of her being and is that the sole achievement to which they’re to be celebrated for? 

In an ever-evolving world should the means by which we offer up our love to women be re-evaluated?

Another aspect to consider is how Mother’s Day feeds into a misogynistic world 

Does it reinforce the idea that we can neglect our women year-round and deliver our so-called love and gratitude only once a year? And does it work to pit women against one another, such that a female hierarchy feeds into internalized misogyny? Does it allude to the superiority of mothers, to women who are not mothers yet? Or women who never want to become a mother?

Do we, in fact, build up a woman’s worth and status based on thousand-year-old ideologies? And more importantly, by solely celebrating women, do we neglect and fortify toxic masculinity, should men not receive similar affection for their role as parents, or do we instead come to a collective agreement that men are not to be celebrated for their parental efforts either?  

The Truth?

The fact of the matter is sweet and simple, all women deserve to be celebrated all year round. While there’s not a shred of doubt of the importance of the contributions of mothers to society on the whole, other women’s contributions are just as crucial. Admiring the strength and adamance it takes, to pursue both life paths and acknowledging the courage it takes for a woman to stay true to her heart and soul; for a woman to pursue being a mother in spite of her contributions being seen as minimal; or for a woman to pursue a career, or a childless life, in spite of her being seen as incomplete due to that. 

On the whole, it takes grit and power to make it through the everyday scrutiny women are imposed to, so happy Mother’s Day today and a happy Women’s Day to every woman every day.