Was Passiert zum “Mutterrecht” ?(i): Chodorow's Theory of Mothering

Chodorow’s article is basically arguing that “If woman is formed in a process of creating “the other” to man in society, then in parallel to this, mothering is attached to “the other” by differing both sexes.” For both sexes, taking up the social roles in the family grows from the very beginning of a biological and social “capacity” to hold and maintain the relationships with “others”, through which the man and woman identifies themselves. This capacity of relationship which has its own roots in seeing the children as in one position is connected to apprehension of heterosexual action by man and woman.

There was one story that I heard about the mothering and fathering in one of my classes; it was about one group of psychologists making an experiment on children about acting out the mother and father in the family. Not surprisingly, the girls who were asked to play mother were much more able to act the role out by cooking, taking care of the children, cleaning the house, washing the dishes and so on. The boys on the other hand who were asked to play father, at first there was a state of confusion then, they took their “suitcase” and said good bye to mother and children.

Beyond this experiment, the domestic labor is really important to analyze the capitalist! Way of our living. In the nuclear productive family, which I believe is a creation of capitalism, imposes the woman to be a mother in order to “get things done” in side of family for free. Housewifery, as a part of mothering, reproduces the well-being productive labors for the market and enslaves the woman over and over. In my opinion, if the discourse about mother or active parent being female finishes, much of the inequalities of patriarchy will be finished, then we will see woman in our societies not as “other” but “like us”.

i. What happened to Mother's right