A contribution from Kaethe Schwehn to First the Egg’s ongoing working/parenting series. If you click on that link, you’ll find links to each post in the series as it goes live. A few weeks ago I was asked, over a community meal at our church, “what do you do?” I gave the elderly questioner a brief outline: [...]
I use the words “parents” and “parenting” a lot. I often describe myself as a parent rather than as a mother (though I certainly use both labels). I avoid “mothers” and “fathers,” “mothering” and “fathering” because I don’t like the implications that certain parenting roles/actions are inherently feminine or masculine, that “mothers” are somehow a [...]
And Baby Makes More: Known Donors, Queer Parents, and Our Unexpected Families is a collection of twenty-two personal essays that deal–from many different angles and in many different ways–with the experience of creating a family with the help of a known donor. Mostly sperm, a little egg thrown in for good measure. (Well, I mean [...]
Welcome to First the Egg, a collection of practical information, links, and cultural criticism. This site is a feminist intervention in our rigidly-gendered culture of childbirth and parenting. It aims to provide a nonsexist space for people who want to learn, reflect, commiserate, or laugh about being pregnant, giving birth, and helping children grow up whole and happy.
Feel free to contact me with ideas or questions at
We don’t need feminism anymore, right?
During a decade of teaching undergraduate courses, I’ve noticed that the vocal majority of my students generally agree about feminism. It used to be pretty useful, but we don’t need it anymore. You see, sexism was real in the hazy past, and it’s real in Other, foreign, dark parts of the world. But unless you’re talking about [...]