Who We Are
Un-mothering the Woman (UTW) is a feminist storytelling movement aimed at dismantling stereotypes peddled by societies against women. Aside from religious and cultural ideals that cloud the pursuit of equality for women, society has created images of what and how a woman should look and behave. The unfounded standards set for women have actively worked against the realisation of rights and agency for most women.
The internalisation of these expectations and standards are constantly reinforced by the frowns, stigma and reprimands that follow any deviation. Over the years, women have started to question, albeit privately, the said standards but most contrary conversations are sequestered and termed as anomalies. Un-mothering the Woman, provides a safe space for women to share their lived realities, speak against stereotypes and highlight stories of women who have defied the assumed societal standards and charted their paths to agency.
Our Model
Storytelling has long been a tool of feminist organising. Women confided to other women about their experiences and provided a sense of belonging. Un-mothering the Women utilises the art and tool of storytelling for consciousness-raising and providing a sense of belonging at a broader scope. The platform also provides space for conversations that are whispered about and are otherwise considered taboo.
Un-mothering the Woman aims to share stories that highlight the experiences, challenges and demands of women towards inclusive policies, structures and systems.
The common retort against the inclusion of women has been the narrative around motherhood. The expectation is that women are natural mothers and have an obligation to motherhood above all other priorities and desires. This narrative has been used to discourage women from political, social and economic aspirations. Un-mothering the Woman was borne from the need to distinguish the woman from the mother and further speak for the power, voice and choice of women, enough to negate the motherhood retort in inclusivity and diversity. The Unmothering the woman team understands that expanding and strengthening access to information is a vital component in extending reproductive choice to more women and girls, thus enabling them to exert more control over their lives and livelihoods.