Presentation Type

Poster

Subjects

Reproductive rights -- United States, Family planning in mass media, Family planning -- Press coverage, Motherhood, Women -- United States -- Social conditions, Feminism -- United States

Advisor

Scott Broussard

Student Level

Undergraduate

Abstract

This research paper is an analysis of pronatalist ideologies that are ingrained in America’s mainstream media, such as film, television, print magazines, and advertisements, and in government policy, such as restrictions to access abortions or affordable birth control. These practices reinforce the notion that women should have an innate need to become a mother, while also creating conflict for women who don’t wish to have children. Although second-wave feminism drastically transformed societal gender roles for women, but post second-wave media representations of motherhood created harmful ideologies like “Super Mom” and new momisms “Intensive Mothering.” In addition to these narrowed ideologies, how racial, socioeconomic classed, and non-heterosexual women are misrepresented in mainstream media is a fundamental issue that will also be discussed in great depth. Critiquing media representations of unplanned pregnancy, voluntary childlessness, and motherhood with a perspective lens is essential to understanding how pronatalism differs between demographics. This analysis delves into to multifaceted levels of motherhood and pronatalist ideologies using both a racial and feminist approach.

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Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/35422

20210422_111400_1.mp4 (35417 kB)
Introduction

Pronatalism Poster (final draft) (1).pdf (112 kB)
Poster Submission

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Pronatalism in U.S. Media and Government Policy

This research paper is an analysis of pronatalist ideologies that are ingrained in America’s mainstream media, such as film, television, print magazines, and advertisements, and in government policy, such as restrictions to access abortions or affordable birth control. These practices reinforce the notion that women should have an innate need to become a mother, while also creating conflict for women who don’t wish to have children. Although second-wave feminism drastically transformed societal gender roles for women, but post second-wave media representations of motherhood created harmful ideologies like “Super Mom” and new momisms “Intensive Mothering.” In addition to these narrowed ideologies, how racial, socioeconomic classed, and non-heterosexual women are misrepresented in mainstream media is a fundamental issue that will also be discussed in great depth. Critiquing media representations of unplanned pregnancy, voluntary childlessness, and motherhood with a perspective lens is essential to understanding how pronatalism differs between demographics. This analysis delves into to multifaceted levels of motherhood and pronatalist ideologies using both a racial and feminist approach.