To Be Or Not To Be A Mother

In our previous blogs, we have discussed the many roles that women play as athletes. We have also discussed the discrimination and prejudice that takes place in the sports world. But what about the women who are off of the field? Not every individual is able to participate in the actual game. There are many tasks that are done behind the scenes. As the new Proctor and Gamble ad exemplifies, that role is delegated to women and more specifically, mothers. As said in the article by USA Today, “being a mom is the hardest job in the world. But it's also the best job you'll ever have” (Hanashiro, 2012). Simply put, this is what society tells us is the norm.

In this short film, women are shown waking up their child, washing dishes, doing laundry, making meals, providing transportation, and being personal cheerleaders. If you had not yet noticed, each woman is performing these tasks on her own. Where are the men? It appears that being a mother means adhering to society’s norms. Across the world, a mother’s role is unanimous. It is not a shared responsibility but instead a full time job held by the mother. 

It is important to notice, that this standard is held in all social classes. The Proctor and Gamble advertisement shows families in many different countries, cultures, and sports settings. Different sports, such as gymnastics, track, swimming, and volleyball are shown. Each of these sports conveys a different level of social class, particularly the knowledge and Proletariat. The knowledge class includes individual sports such as gymnastics, performed by an American child. The Proletariat sport is a team sport, in this case, volleyball. Although there is a difference in social class, the mother’s role remains the same – supporter and nurturer.

The media guides woman in a direction of motherhood. Motherhood might not be every woman’s forte or desire. However, as the Proctor and Gamble ad shows, women who do not conform to this standard are excluded and ostracized. There are many more roles that women have in life and the media must show these as well. Every woman has a different mindset, different goals, and different dreams. 

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Bibliography

Hanashiro, Robert. "Video: Sports Moms Have Hardest Jobs in World." USA Today. Gannett, 26 Apr. 2012. Web. 27 Apr. 2012. <http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/04/video-sports-moms-have-hardest-jobs-in-world/1>.