Come 2020 and we’ll soon be completing a decade! There’s so much that has happened over the last ten years. Some great and memorable events. Others not so good. We fought a little against each other; fought a little more FOR each other, and the earth probably got a bit warmer. Some universes ‘Marvel’ously found new heroes. While some seasons ended on iron ‘Thrones.’ And in the midst of all this, life continued to thrive as millions of women became mothers across the world. But, as with everything else, motherhood too found some great new role models. Here, we bring you a list of mothers who redefined motherhood with their brave choices while continuing to shatter gender stereotypes:
1. Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza created quite a stir when a senior journalist questioned her about having children and ‘settling’ down soon after her marriage. Sania questioned him back as to why a woman wasn’t considered ‘settled’ unless she was married and had kids. This exchange led to a whole new debate with many women challenging this gender stereotype. Sania eventually gave birth to baby Izhaan in 2018, a good 8 years after her marriage. In the end, she had the last laugh when she gave a cheeky response to the same journalist’s congratulatory tweet by saying that ‘she has been settled for a while now.’
2. Serena Williams
Image: serenawilliams/Instagram
Often called the GOAT (greatest of all time) in women’s tennis history, Serena is also a fashionista and a doting mother. But her pregnancy announcement stunned the world soon after she won the Australian open! The fact that she played throughout her first trimester – a phase when pregnant women are usually asked to rest to avoid miscarriages – shattered another myth.
3. Lisa Haydon
Image: lisahaydon/Instagram
Supermodel and Bollywood actress, Lisa Haydon does not shy away from speaking her heart. But it was her social media post on World Breastfeeding Day which won many hearts. The post was accompanied by a picture of Lisa breastfeeding her son, Zack. At a time when women are often asked to breastfeed discretely, Lisa attempted to normalize the natural and beautiful act of breastfeeding in her own way.
4. Jacinda Arden
Image: jacindaardern/Instagram
The Prime Minister of New Zealand shoulders many responsibilities including that of a parent. When she had announced her pregnancy on January 19, 2018, she created a record of sorts by becoming the second woman Prime Minister in the world (after Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto) to give birth while still serving in office. And THAT really is a big deal! The way she handled the terrible crisis in her country with the warmth and love of a mother is surely a testimony to her mother’s instincts.
5. Larissa Waters
Image: larissawaters/Instagram
From an NZ Prime Minister to the neighboring Australian senator, mothers dominated this decade. Australian Senator, Larissa Waters grabbed the headlines when she was captured addressing the parliament while simultaneously breastfeeding her baby. Her photograph became the epitome of women’s empowerment for this decade. Larissa continues to champion the cause of normalizing breastfeeding along with her other responsibilities.
6. Neha Dhupia
Image: nehadhupia/Instagram
Bollywood actress, popular anchor, and a mother, Neha Dhupia dons many hats. Known to always speak her mind, she has highlighted issues such as pregnancy weight body shaming and losing work due to pregnancy. She often promotes the cause of breastfeeding in public too. She is a perfect example of effectively using celebrity status to champion a good cause.
7. Mary Kom
Image: mcmary.kom/Instagram
Indian Olympic Boxer, Mary Kom has proved that a mother is capable of doing anything. Soon after giving birth to two children, she continued to train in her sport and won many laurels for the country including an Olympic win. She even had a Bollywood movie made on her life. Mary Kom, now a mother of three, continues to pursue her passion for boxing and is an inspiration to all aspiring women boxers.
8. Ekta Kapoor
Image: ektarkapoor/Instagram
Who says you can’t be a mother if you are not married? Ekta Kapoor, the czarina of Indian Television Industry who made many a flagging career, took the surrogacy route to become a mother. Ekta is a single mother who is completely devoted to the upbringing of her son, whom she named Ravie – a name similar to her doting father – Ravi Kapoor (popularly known as Jeetendra).
9. Sunny Leone
Image: sunnyleone/Instagram
Another celebrity mother who broke all barriers of race and conventional ways of birth thus redefining motherhood is Sunny Leone. Sunny first adopted a baby girl from Latur and named her Nisha Kaur Weber. Later, she became a mother to two twin boys via surrogacy – Noah and Asher Singh Weber.
10. Gul Panag
Image: gulpanag/Instagram
An actor, model, politician, and a professional pilot, former beauty queen Gul Panag wears too many crowns. She is a perfect example of a multitasking mother. She proved that a woman can live her life on her own terms by choosing to become a mother when she was indeed ready. Gul gave birth to her son Nihal, at the age of 39 and shattered the myth about late pregnancies.
All the mothers of this decade that we have mentioned above are true champions in their own way. They have not only shattered myths but also reshaped our perception toward mothers and motherhood. Here’s saluting all these wonderful women! May their tribe increase!
