Reclaiming Mothering: Elinor Cleghorn on Being Strong and Kind; Good Humour; the Power of Knowing Who We Are; and Not Trying to Fix Everything

About this episode

Dr. Elinor Cleghorn discusses the complexities of mothering, women's health, and the societal expectations surrounding motherhood.

Dr. Elinor Cleghorn is a feminist cultural historian, writer, and researcher, and the author of the critically acclaimed Unwell Women and A Woman's Work: Reclaiming the Radical History of Mothering . In this episode, Elinor talks about her British mother, Sarah, who raised her as a single mother, later had two more children, and fostered 50 children. From Sarah, we learn about what makes a great mother; the importance of good humour; how to be both strong and kind; the difference between being kind and always being "nice"; and why we do not need to fix everything. From Elinor, we learn about why medicine has so often failed to understand women's illnesses; the radical history of motherhood; the ways patriarchy has used and constrained mothering; the commercialization of menopause; and many other fascinating topics. To learn more about Elinor and her work, please visit her Instagram here . Subscribe to Ana's new "Mama Loves…" newsletter here . To contact Ana, to be a guest, or suggest a guest, please send your mail to: info@thankyoumama.net For more about "Thank You, Mama", please visit: http://www.thankyoumama.net Connect with Ana on social media…

People in this episode

Host: Ana Tajder

Guest: Dr. Elinor Cleghorn

Topics covered

• mothering
• feminism
• women's health
• patriarchy
• humor
• kindness

Keywords

• mothering
• feminism
• women's health
• patriarchy
• humor
• kindness
• single mother
• foster care
• menopause

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Unwell Women, A Woman's Work: Reclaiming the Radical History of Mothering

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