When I first joined the national Single Mothers by Choice (SMC) organization, and my local group, I assumed the other women I would meet – virtually and in person – would be fairly similar to me. I thought that making such an “unconventional” life choice would be a decision only left-leaning, primarily urban/coastal women would make. I could not have been more wrong.
What I’ve found instead is an amazingly diverse community of women. Our political affiliations are all across the spectrum. We are gay and straight, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and atheist. We are urban and rural, in the U.S. and Canada and Europe and Southeast Asia, and everywhere in-between. We are black, white, Asian, Hispanic, and of every possible ethnic mix. We are creative types and scientists who work from home and travel the world and are unemployed. We are biological and adoptive moms and waiting-to-be-moms and still-thinking-about-becoming-moms. About the only way we’re not diverse is that we are all women.
And it’s incredible, this crazy-quilt community that supports and shares and applauds and {{hugs}} and grieves with each other. Our diversity leads to a depth and breadth of knowledge about motherhood and plain old life that I like to think of as wiki-SMC. Ask almost any question on the Forum or at a local meeting, and someone will have an answer or an anecdote or she’ll employ her mad Google skills to help. We remember one another’s stories and learn to recognize each other’s voices online. I know women I have never met better than some of the people I see every day.
I am grateful for all the women who have gone before me into SMC-hood and especially for those on the journey to get there with me. This sisterhood is truly powerful.
Robyn
To discuss this and other SMC topics, join SMC and take part in our discussions on our lively online 24/7 Forum and at local chapter meetings.