About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

25 S. Cal. Interdisc. L.J. 313 (2016)
Soccer Moms, Welfare Queens, Waitress Moms, and Super Moms: Myths of Motherhood in State Media Coverage of Child Care during the Welfare Reforms of the 1990s

handle is hein.journals/scid25 and id is 317 raw text is: SOCCER MOMS, WELFARE QUEENS, WAITRESS MOMS, AND SUPER MOMS: MYTHS OF MOTHERHOOD IN STATE MEDIA COVERAGE OF CHILD CARE DURING THE WELFARE REFORMS OF THE 1990s LAUREL PARKER WEST, PHD* Throughout the evolution of American social policy, political debates surrounding child care have centered on competing maternal ideals- making mothers the primary target population for policy in this area. The construction of the deserving mother in child care policy debates has changed over time depending on particular economic circumstances and cultural norms during each era. The competition among different constructions of mothers proved especially vigorous in the later decades of the twentieth century as evidenced by the media-driven Mommy Wars that dominated the policy debates of this era. Conflicting social, political, and cultural values continue to pit the stay-at-home Soccer Mom against the career-oriented Super Mom. The mythical Welfare Queen and working poor Waitress Mom, in contrast, are not even on the radar in this battle for the ideal construction of motherhood that persists into the current political climate. While pundits and scholars continue to debate the implications of various formulations of American motherhood, the majority of mothers are now working both outside and inside of their homes. The provision of safe, affordable, high-quality child care could potentially serve as an incentive for peace in these raging ideological debates. Theoretically, at least, mothers and families across racial and class divisions hope to provide their children with the best possible care. In reality, debates about motherhood and child care continue to reflect * Vice President, National Programs at Baby Buggy, Inc. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. When I began this project, I was not yet a mother. Now that I have two daughters, I am even more committed to exploring how we can reframe the way policymakers and the public construct images of low-income mothers and fathers. Thank you to my incredible colleagues at Baby Buggy, my doctoral advisor Dr. Michael Rich, my husband Dr. Peter West and my two daughters Josie and Campbell, who have all supported me in my efforts to better understand and respond to the needs of vulnerable moms and dads.

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most