Let me begin by wishing a Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mamas out there! You are beautiful, you are fierce, you are loved. However you became a mother, or whatever the reason you identify as a mother, is valid, and today is your day to shine – I hope to one day soon join your ranks.
I also thought that Mother’s Day would be a great day to kick off our “A Female Revolution” series – diverse posts dedicated to incredible women, from past and present, forming a platform to amplify the voices of all women and to share our narratives – for too often are we silenced.
I was inspired today, to highlight two moms who, quite frankly, bring joy to my day. If you are on Tik Tok, you may already know who I am talking about, but I want to put the spotlight on Gwenna Laithland and Tori Phantom.
During the start of the COVID Pandemic, when we were full swing into quarantine, I downloaded Tik Tok and, although it hasn’t been my calling for content creation, it has been a great comfort to me. It is entertaining, sometimes educational, definitely odd, and a new tool in social activism (Tik Tok was the full coverage for the height of the BLM movement this past year).
Gwenna and Tori (both who I would love to meet in person), are two moms who share a really beautiful and important message about authenticity and inclusivity within motherhood. Their content, which extends far beyond Tik Tok provides a smart, and much needed blend of humor, fun, and real life. Gwenna and Tori provide equal parts seratonin and heart and have been a much needed source of joy during this past year and counting of non-stop trauma.
Gwenna established her Momma Cusses platform in 2020 to “normalize modern motherhood and give moms a place to connect and feel less alone.” Motherhood is not an easy job and there can still be a lot of stigma surrounding common parenting challenges, especially experiences unique to mothers. How can we push our world forward if we do not have the support of our communities? We need support in our challenges and in our celebrations.
Tori’s Tik Toks are just as viral and her heart is just as big. I recently started listening to her Podcast and her (and her husband) are some of my new favorites for parenting advice. She talks honestly but with such overflowing love, you know that you have her support even if you have never met. And truthfully, that is the the kind of energy that we need more of in the world. Her passion is to promote important dialogues about mental health and parenting.
The celebration of mothers and motherhood doesn’t stop after one day – with the same energy that we celebrate today, we need to put into each day to support one another, especially in the scary or challenging moments. We can share our recipes to make dinner time more fun, we can laugh at the moments that question our sanity, and we will pause to acknowledge when mentally, physically, or emotionally we see a mother who cannot do it alone.
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