It’s all good and fine to give the favorite mama in your world candy or flowers or a special card, but what women really need to thrive as mamas has nothing to do with gifts ONE day of the year.
Mamas need support, better work rights, safe housing in safe communities, equal pay, rights that protect them from violence, and affordable health care for themselves and their kids. I could list more things that mamas deserve, but these issues come to mind right away. Below are some important issues, along with what you can do to help speak up for mama rights.
WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION:
While it’s totally illegal to discriminate against women during pregnancy or because she recently gave birth, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission notes that workplace discrimination against women during pregnancy is the fastest increasing discrimination charge. Read, “Is your job at risk if you get pregnant?” to learn about how you can combat pregnancy discrimination at work.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
Domestic violence affects over 324,000 pregnant women annually and one report estimates that more than 2.5 million females experience some form of violence each year, with almost 2 out of 3 females in this population having been attacked by a family member or a person they know. Dire. This situation is no good, not only for the mamas out there, but a slew of children as well. This Mother’s Day focus on learning the basic facts of domestic violence, what intimate partner violence is, and how you can assess if your relationship is abusive, plus find resource for support if you or a friend needs help.
HEALTH CARE FOR MAMAS & BABIES:
Plenty of mamas and tots are uninsured in the U.S. which is ultra lame. If you need help finding insurance read:Â
