2004 Mothers Day Campaign:
Mothers - The Real Story

Individual Email- Member to Friend/Mom

Dear ___________________,

I am a member [I am participating in an event (specify) sponsored by] Mothers & More, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of mothers through support, education and advocacy. Our 2004 Mother’s Day Campaign, Mothers-The Real Story, encourages mothers to talk openly and honestly with each other about their real life experiences as mothers. We also want to spotlight the ways in which the media shapes stereotypes about mothers that do not match our experiences and creates an idealized version of motherhood that none of us can hope to reach.

We have planned many activities for our Mother’s Day Campaign, and I’d like to invite you to visit our campaign website at www.mothersandmore.org. to look over the activities and campaign events-you might find one in your area! One of our major activities was a collective media watch by all our members and the public to identify the "Seven Deadly Stereotypes" of mothers in the media. The top three most powerful "stereotypical" representations were voted on and will be announced just before Mother’s Day.

During the April 19 and May 31, I will be participating in the Mothers and More 2004 Campaign Mother’s Day Campaign "Mothers-The Real Story" by sending out Mothers & More’s downloadable Mother’s Day Cards. It is a great opportunity to open up to friends about my ‘real experience’ of motherhood; to talk about the joy and the frustrations, the ups and the downs of the journey of motherhood we all travel. To spread the word about "real" mothers, I will wear a T-shirt sporting the slogan "Mothers. The Real Story. Not as easy as it looks on TV", which are also available on our website.

By talking openly and honestly about our real stories we will empower each other and educate the public that mothers are "real" people that bear no resemblance to the idealized versions we see in the media. Our goal during this year’s Mother’s Day Campaign is to remove some of the stereotypes of mothers and talk about who we really are. Together mothers are powerful!

To get involved, please visit www.mothersandmore.org.

Thank you, and Best wishes for a "Real" and Happy Mother’s Day!

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