State of the Mommybloggers - BlogHer 2006
After the passionate response to our panel on mommyblogging at BlogHer 2005, we left determined to change the negative perceptions of the label we simply cannot avoid.
Mommybloggers.com is the outgrowth of that motivation.
Over the last year, we've seen an explosion of fantastic mother writers, and we've talked candidly with many of them. We've introduced our readers to writers from a variety of backgrounds. As we approach our first anniversary, we are committed to introducing more writers, and exposing more diversity in the mommyblogging community.
One thing that hasn't changed: there is still a great deal of hatred for the term, both inside and outside of the genre. This year's wonderful panel - featuring Mir of Woulda Coulda Shoulda, Tracey of Sweetney.com, Alice of Finslippy and Marrit of Baldo took on the term, the identity and fielded questions about mommyblogging and money.
We heard several times that 2006 was the Year of the Mommybloggers. As a community, we were certainly recognized and talked about. Last year, we were regarded as fluff writers. This year, we became a force to be reckoned with, although we did overhear conversations wondering how a bunch of fluff writers could have become so marketable. Is increased visibility benefiting us, or merely driving an us-vs.-them wedge into the community of women bloggers?
Some of us party like rock stars and swear like sailors. This is always mentioned with a slightly awed tone - mothers don't act like that. Or do they? We've read how mommybloggers stand in happy, chattering cliques and make ourselves difficult to approach. We've read about the reputation mommybloggers have for running in a pack, and for vigorously defending our own, should they come under attack. We're hard-pressed to see this as a negative. This is far from unusual in the blogosphere. Yet we also know that our community is prone to attacking each other over everything from body image to breastfeeding. We are far from united, and while we would love to end all personal attacks, we support respectful discourse and debate on blogs.
We are lucky to be one of the charter members of BlogHer's ad network. BlogHer's vision for a targeted ad network - featuring amazing blogs written by women - needed guinea pigs. We were excited to open our templates and participate as BlogHer put the final touches on the network. The power of women bloggers, and the diversity of the audience we reach is astounding and infinitely exciting to advertisers. We are excited to see the growth of the entire network as additional categories and targeted ads come on line.
After WoolfCamp Spring 2006, Grace Davis was determined to bring professional, affordable childcare to BlogHer 2006. The childcare committee did a fantastic job, and Grace’s vision of a warm, accommodating, safe and professional childcare was a tremendous success. We know that other conferences will look to BlogHer as an example of how to better accommodate attendees with children. Thank you, Grace.
While we understand the backlash from some attendees towards receiving a bib, condom, or a tee-shirt in the wrong size - we're sad that those unwanted items were thrown away instead of collected to be donated to a women's shelter or other organization that could have benefited. Next year, we hope to have a collection system in place to help facilitate that option, for women who don't welcome those types of handouts.
So, where do we go from here? We are still working to change the one-size-fits-all nature of the mommyblogging label. While babies and poop and diapers are an occasional topic, there are hundreds of self-identifying mommybloggers who are eloquent and forthright on subjects both political and personal. We look forward to expanding the dialog and finding ways to increase the cooperation and respect between all women, writing in all genres, whether they are mothers or not.
Comments
People always find something to hate on mothers about. I know it sucks, particularly for the folks trying to get pregnant to be around preggos and people with kids (I know from experience), however, some of the backlash was just plain stupid.
And many of us don't get out but twice a year so damn straight we're going to live it up.
Oh, and many of us blog for the community aspect - so meeting up with folks is sort of the high point of what we've been doing for how ever long we've been doing it. I say, if you can't beat them, join them.
The mommybloggers do know how to party.
Posted by: Kristen | August 4, 2006 1:48 PM
Wow. Jenny. That was deep. Are you sure you're really a mommy? Mommies don't write that sort of stuff. Heh.
Great post. And, I'll help you with that whole collection of unwanted swag thing. That bugged me, as I told Jory the other day and mentioned in my last recap. Just let me know what I can do to help.
Posted by: Denise | August 4, 2006 4:42 PM
kristen's right...if i'm gonna party i'd want to be with a mommyblogger! :)
i think the term mommyblogger makes folks think moms are just writing about poop and diapers. sort of how moms can be stereotyped as only talking about those things when we get together. and both thoughts are way off base (most of the time!).
This post asks some strong questions...I look forward to seeing how it plays out in the coming year. I'm interested in how this discussion evolves for BlogHer 2007. A
And yes, I *still* have the tattoo.
Posted by: crazedparent | August 4, 2006 5:17 PM
well said, jenny
Posted by: the womom | August 4, 2006 7:06 PM
Damn, Jenny, you said it well. I can add nothing to this.
Great, great post!
Posted by: Carmen | August 5, 2006 7:58 AM
I am glad to have found your site. I am a new "mommy" blogger who likes to talk about politics and history. I feel alone out there as I REALLY get bored about all of the "my baby is smarter" conversations. I want to blog about current events. I feel like I am the only woman who keeps a pregnancy blog and an almost radical political blog at the same time. I am still new at this, so I would love any advice you could give me.
Posted by: Atalee | August 5, 2006 10:55 AM
I don't get this and frankly I'm tired of reading about how nobody likes mommybloggers. To be honest, I'm not sure what makes a mommyblogger. Am I a mommyblogger? I have a blog, and I am a mommy. Does that make me a mommy blogger?
My last half dozen posts (or more) have nothing to do with being a mother. They are about my job, a health crisis with my husband, a girl at the office with breast cancer, my weight issues, the demise of my engine in my car, the use of BlogLines, the power loss in St. Louis, etc.
In fact, I have to go back nearly 3 weeks to find something about my kids.
But I'm sure I'd be considered a mommy blogger.
Are bloggers who are married and mention their spouses to be called marriagebloggers?
The whole thing annoys me, to be honest. Being a mother is a big part of who I am, not the only part, but I will blog about it just like I blog about many aspects of my life. I don't know why that should classify me as a mommy blogger any more than a work blogger or a wife blogger or a health blogger or anything else. Ugh.
Posted by: JustLinda | August 5, 2006 3:24 PM
I still don't understand how people get the idea that once you give birth, your entire personality changes. If I enjoyed partying with my friends before, why shouldn't I enjoy it now? (Frankly, the only thing that keeps me from doing more is my AGE -- my body simply cannot take as much abuse as it used to.)
This kind of prejudice is apparent in the non-blogging "real" world, too -- I hate going to my husband's business gatherings because the minute I answer the question, "and what do you do?" I am dismissed, because I spend my days taking care of my family. (Telling them I blog isn't much better -- I learned to tell people that I was in San Jose to attend a "writers' conference.")
I love what you've done since BlogHer '05 and cannot wait to see what you'll do before Chicago. You gals rock!
Posted by: Donna | August 6, 2006 10:33 AM
Swear like sailors? Party like rock stars? I saw none of that from women who were Mommys, I'll have you know....
You know, the irony? Many of the "Playa haters" never actually SPOKE with women who they considered "Mommybloggers". That was puzzling. And yes, having a child doesn't erase your brain, but it does change a part of who you are.
Liz Henry and I had a chat about some of the sponsers and I said that right now - this is how they Got the money to put the conference on. Now with 2 years track record and fabulous attendance, BlogHer can go forward and court other sponsers- and they'll listen! Until then, I don't think I am being told I am fat because Weight Watchers was there...or the Water people.
And for all you all who don't know? Jenny is hella cool.
Posted by: Dawn | August 6, 2006 12:53 PM