If we had to choose one tenet that encapsulates maternal feminism, this is it. There are five major things happening in this one small tenet. Let’s investigate.
We [Big Ocean Women] are (1.) empowered by our (2.) feminine nature and (3.) biology, and we (4.) honor our [personal and collective] (5.) procreative power.
The powerful connection between our biological selves and our feminine qualities and characteristics is something to be celebrated. Our general unique female biology, which includes our anatomy and chemistry, was designed with the general capacity to create and nurture human life. If for whatever reason one can’t or doesn’t want to exercise this capacity, one is still very much included in this tenet.
Because money is the standard measure of value in our world, it leaves very little room for visibility and acknowledgement of the many unpaid yet essential contributions that are unique to us, namely care-work.
What is care-work? Care-work is the myriad of responsibilities in which many women throughout the world engage. Both biological life-giving functions (menstruation, pregnancy, labor and delivery, lactation) as well as the infinite life-nurturing actions that follow (looking after children, feeding, cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, teaching, community building, caring for elderly parents, healing, and the list goes on and on) define what it means to create and care for human life.
We “honor” means we [individually and collectively] see the power that lies within us as women. It means we respect that power and demand society do the same. It also means that we work side by side with men to preserve this capacity within women, and to be engaged participants in upholding our inherent dignity and autonomy. It is essential that women recognize their power and protect that capacity within themselves so that this power is used if and when that woman is ready, only with her consent.
In a world where women are respected and valued, everyone wins.
~Carolina Allen
