We are all looking for that perfect thing to say to the moms in our lives. Moms are a source of empowerment, for both themselves and their children. Motherhood is a feminist enterprise, so why not say something decidedly feminist to the figure of female empowerment in your life? Need some ideas? Check out these feminist quotes by feminist moms!
Like this quote straight from the former First Lady herself, Michelle Obama:
“I want them to see a mother who loves them dearly, who invests in them, but who also invests in herself. It’s just as much about letting them know as young women that it is okay to put yourself a little higher on your priority list.”
Michelle Obama reminds us that autonomy and motherhood are not mutually exclusive. If you give up your own needs simply because you are a mother, how will your daughters learn the importance of meeting their own needs as they age into adulthood?
Feeling more flowery? Try this quote by the poet Maya Angelou in which she tries to capture the beauty and strength of her own mother.
“To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.”
Or perhaps this one by the poet Warsan Shire:
“Give your daughters difficult names. Give your daughters names that command the full use of the tongue. My name makes you want to tell me the truth. My name doesn’t allow me to trust anyone that cannot pronounce it right.”
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Shire reflects on her own power and advises others to imbue their daughters with the same power to take up space that her mother imbued within her.
Or it could be that U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s recounting of her own mother’s advice resonates with the lessons passed down to you by your mother.
“My mother told me two things constantly. One was to be a lady, and the other was to be independent.”
While from an older generation that held outdated notions about the importance of ‘ladylike’ behavior, Ginsburg’s mother reminds us that being a woman and being independent is not a dichotomous experience.
Or try this quote from funny lady Amy Poehler who teaches us that, whether you’re a mother who chooses to pursue a full-time career outside of the home or one who chooses to stay at home full-time, you are no less of a woman, no less of a mother, no less of a feminist.
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“There is an unspoken pact that women are supposed to follow. I am supposed to act like I constantly feel guilty about being away from my kids. (I don’t. I love my job.) Mothers who stay at home are supposed to pretend they are bored and wish they were doing more corporate things. (They don’t. They love their job.)”
Or just cut straight to the chase with this quote from the poet Alice Walker who emphasizes all the opportunities her mother supported and inspired her to take.
“[My mother] had handed down respect for the possibilities — and the will to grasp them.”
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Write them in a card or project them from a rooftop, celebrate Mother’s Day this year with these feminist celebrations of motherhood.