Deregulating Motherhood in the Context of Structural Violence and State Control

• In Event: Surviving Gendered State Violence: Lessons, Heartbreak, and Hope from the Field

Abstract

The United States upholds a carceral system that criminalizes individuals who engage in substance use, and further marginalizes them under the guise of public welfare. The criminalization of women of color can be associated with gendered expectations of women, social constructions of motherhood, as well as the systemic inequality and symbolic politics that oppress mothers of color with histories of substance use. This presentation demonstrates the nuances in how women construct their maternal narratives in the face of social norms about motherhood and prevalent stigmatization of their substance use, suggesting the opportunity and importance of empowerment in gender-responsive strengths-based approaches.

Author

• Janet Garcia-Hallett, University of New Haven