Maternal Is Political

Shari MacDonald Strong is in the process of writing a book on a much-debated feminine topic and she’s titling it “Maternal is Political”. The book is slated to be published in 2008 and the cool part is that YOU can STILL be a part of this great work. Shari is looking for essays on various women’s topics to include in her new book and she has extended her June 1st cut off for submissions. You must contact her and work out a deadline. Payment is $100 and two free copies. There is a whole list of ideas and more information about the scope of this book on her web site.

Here are a sample of suggested topics from Shari’s blog:

• First-hand stories of motherhood and politics from the Civil Rights movement or the 1960s/70s women’s movement
• Getting out of poverty with kids in tow (what does this woman have to say to the government?)
• Two mothers raising their children together; how are they teaching their children about nationalized homophobia and how their lives will be affected because of it?
• A woman of color’s perspective on raising a child while fighting racism (e.g., a story from New Orleans and the connection between racism and how her children’s lives were changed by Katrina)
• How motherhood changed one woman’s political affiliation or level of involvement
• Involving children in a political campaign
• A mother’s response to her child being sent to Iraq or Afghanistan/becoming active in the anti-war movement
• How one mother helped to trigger or bring about social change in her community
• A mother’s run for political office
• Growing up as the child of a politically involved mother, and how that shapes one’s mothering

This is a great opportunity to be heard and I can’t wait to read this book when it becomes available! I think I may try to come up with an essay or two to submit… :-?