Social Media Empowerment: Constructing Maternal Autonomy for New Generation Urban Mothers

With changes in social structures and cultural perceptions, urban new-generation mothers of children with autism face multiple challenges in their maternal practices, including traditional gender norms, economic burdens, and constraints of the healthcare system. From both structural and post-structural perspectives, this study employs netnography to analyze the interactions of mothers on Xiaohongshu and WeChat communities. The findings reveal that under the dual pressures of traditional gender roles and various social structures, these mothers gain significant informational and emotional support through social media. This empowerment enhances their informed decision-making and choices, alleviates feelings of isolation and anxiety in the parenting process, and promotes personalized and diverse expressions of motherhood. Social media functions not only as a support tool but also as an empowerment platform, helping mothers find autonomy and self-expression within societal structures.