Happy "Non-Mom" Mother's day to you...
I'm angry. I'm hurt. I'm outraged. I'm not sure there is a word out there to describe how it feels to be told that I (and all mothers who adopted their children) am not, in fact, a mother. No, I'm a "Non-Mom" mom according to NBC The Today Show. They are running a contest called America's Favorite Mom. How nice. The problem? They have five categories; The Working Mom, The Single Mom, The CEO "Chairman Of Everything" Mom, The Military Mom, and last (and apparently least) The Non-mom Mom.
First of all, I can't even believe someone was stupid enough didn't consider how negative "non-mom" would sound referring to any woman. Why not "Untraditional Mom"? Or even "Just like a Mom Mom"? I'm all for honoring Bernice, the woman who raised her siblings, and Nora, who runs an orphanage in Haiti. They deserve it for being LIKE a mother to these children. They don't need negative labels like "non-mom" mom. Really, how can anyone be a "non- mom" mom... oxymoron alert! All I can figure is that they wished to honor women who have been LIKE a mother to others, but some moron non-thinking person came up with "Non-mom mom."
What really makes my blood boil is this little description of the Non-Mom mom: "Grandparent, stepmom, or mom to adopted children, each one raising and loving a child. A priceless gift for everybody." EXCUSE ME?? So I get that Bernice and Nora have been LIKE a mom so should be in this category, but what the hell is Jennifer doing there?? She isn't LIKE a mom to anyone. She IS a mom!! Just because six of her seven children didn't come out her vagina does not mean that she is not their mother PHYSICALLY, LEGALLY, and EMOTIONALLY!! You know it's hard enough constantly having to fight people ranking adoption and children who were adopted as second best without The Today show doing this. So lets just get a few things clear, NBC, I AM a MOTHER, these ARE my OWN children, and there is NOTHING non or second best about me or them.
P.S. If this makes you mad too please tell all of the following and avoid all sponsors until they apologize.
Teleflora - service@teleflora.com
NBC Today Show - today@msnbc.com
Marie Osmond - kesti@marieosmond.com
Kraft Foods - kraft.com/contacts/other-contacts-form/htm?ft=other&subject=other
Redbook - redbook@hearst.com
MySpace - myspace.com/inex.cfm?fuseaction=misc.contact
I know this is a little late for mothers day but...
I am EXTREMELY offended as well!! I agree that Non-Mom is even an insensitive way to refer to grandmas, step moms, or foster moms. But I am stunned beyond words to know that if you adopted your children you are considered a Non-Mom... Even the bmom of the baby my dh and I will be adopting calls him ours. So why can't everyone else see it that way? Even before I started the adoption process I would have NEVER have considered and AP anything less of a parent than if the child actually shared their DNA. Why are there still those insensitive people who do treat AP's that way?
Apparently, us non-moms
Apparently, us non-moms don't count. How sad!
Stunned
I am truly stunned. I agree with you 10000%. First of all non-mom Mom is just a really stupid and insensitive way to label those who fill in "like" moms. That's bad enough. But it's 10 million times worse to include those who became REAL MOMS through adoption in the same category. I just can't believe they would be that ignorant. You are DEFINITELY a mom. Giving birth is only one way to become a mom NOT the only way. Well I hope you have a nice Mother's Day anyhow!