Undermining Mothers: A Content Analysis of the Representation of Mothers in Magazines

Mother wars, the pitting of at-home and employed mothers against each other, dominate public discourse. Mother roles are contested and, as a result, mothers are inundated with contradictory messages that affirm a particular mother role and simultaneously condemn a mother for achieving it. This content analysis explores 4 maternal contradictions in contemporary women's magazines: (a) mothers are selfish/selfless; (b) mothers should foster independence/dependence in children; (c) mothers who succeed/fail in the domestic sphere, fail/succeed in the public sphere; and (d) mothers are natural, instinctive, intuitive/need expert help. The messages, and the characterization of these contradictions as double binds, have implications on the empowerment of mothers and the perpetuation of patriarchal systems.