The Original Meaning of Mother’s Day

While I think my own mother likes Mother’s Day as it is, it is interesting that the early mothers’ days were more about mothers as activists rather than individuals.  

While various holidays celebrating mothers have occurred through history, Mother’s Day as it is celebrated in North America has roots in feminist pacifism.  Julia Ward Howe is considered a founding mother of mother’s day and was reported to have proclaimed the first Mother’s Day in 1870 calling on mothers to:

“Arise then…women of this day!
Arise, all women who have hearts!…

Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.

…From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with
Our own. It says: “Disarm! Disarm!”

you can find the full text at: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/howejwriting/a/mothers_day.htm
And more about the original meaning of Mother’s day at: ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother%27s_day

On a more lesbian note, I also found an interesting article on how to manage mother’s day in a family with two moms and a book of photos of lesbian moms and their children.