Did you notice? Apparently being a power mommy is trending on all media platforms. Early adopter Lorde explains her admiration for Kim Kardashian as the twittersphere catches on (Lorde, 2014):
Brands have also taken notice. Fashion Brand Kenzo kicked off New York Fashion Week with a short by Carrie Brownstein explaining why being called “mom” by someone on social media is something to aspire to (Boboltz, 2016):
Characterizations of motherhood are changing. Today, #mom or “mom” is a first-rate complimentary reference permeating digital media, fashion, music, and pop culture colloquialisms alike. Earlier this summer the pop songstress Fergie provided a visual illustration of this trend with the release of her single titled “M.I.L.F. $” (Stegemoeller, 2016). Fergie reclaimed the acronym as shorthand for Mothers I’d Like to Follow, a theme she carried through to the song’s music video which displayed no shortage of some of the most popular celebrity moms. And these moms fail to mirror those from the traditional 80s sitcom in appearance, notoriety, nor bank account:
I’d be remiss if I didn’t address the controversy associated with Fergie’s posit of reclaiming the word MILF as an act of feminism when the video features women pouring milk over their sexily outfitted bodies (Fisher, 2016). Can we say double entendre anyone? Many critique these images as far from empowering and describe them as reinforcing the over-sexualization of women (Strauss, 2016). Feminism is complex. The issue has layers and is arguably one of the most definitive and undefined movements. There is so much to be said for the historical context that plays into the use of milk, gender dynamics, and how this video reflects or bolsters the recent surge in the popularity of MILF porn (Stegemoeller, 2016). However, Fergie, views her anthem as “liberating” (Hendricks, 2016). Changing the connotation of common female descriptors is a start and in Fergie’s words “just because you’re a mom doesn’t mean that’s all that defines you, and so the underlying message is just be who you are” (Stegemoeller, 2016, n.p.).
Despite where you may fall on the spectrum of perception in the reclamation of the word MILF, the fact that the word “mom” is now a synonym for aspirational cool is universally undeniable. The ways in which brands will continue to monopolize on and employ this trend remains to be seen.
References
Boboltz, S. (2016, September 15). While you were out living your life, ‘mom’ became a compliment on the internet. The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mom-compliment-on-the-internet_us_57dae063e4b08cb140944dd2?section=us_celebrity
Fisher, K. (2016, July 1). Fergie’s ”M.I.L.F. $” music video features hot moms Kim Kardashian, Ciara and Chrissy Teigen shakin’ their booties. E Online News. http://www.eonline.com/news/777354/fergie-s-m-i-l-f-music-video-features-hot-moms-kim-kardashian-ciara-and-chrissy-teigen-shakin-their-booties
Hendricks, J. (2016, August 30). Topless Fergie solidifies MILF status. Page Six. Retrieved from http://pagesix.com/2016/08/30/topless-fergie-solidifies-milf-status/
Lorde. (2014, November 14) [Twitter post]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/lorde/status/532432442893041664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Stegemoeller, K. (2016, August 29). Fergie’s back and better than ever. Paper Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.papermag.com/fergie-beautiful-people-1991209868.html
Strauss, E. (2016, July 5). Fergie tries to reimagine the MILF, fails milkily. Slate. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2016/07/05/fergie_tries_to_reimagine_the_milf_and_fails.html