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What Is Matricentric Feminism — And Why the World Needs It Now
Matricentric Feminism is a term created by scholar Andrea O’Reilly. Don’t worry, I’m not going to make this sound like a lecture. The idea is simple: feminism has done a lot for women, but it often forgot about mothers.
Traditional feminism fought for women’s rights in the workplace, for bodily autonomy, for access to education and leadership. Those things matter deeply. But what about the women who are mothering? Who are raising the next generation, often without support or recognition?
Matricentric Feminism says that mothers’ experiences deserve their own focus. It recognizes that being a mother changes how you move through the world, financially, emotionally, and socially. It’s about creating systems that value motherhood, not punish it.
This is the feminism that says your body, your mind, and your labor as a mother have worth. It says the work of care is the backbone of society. It says that when we care for mothers, we build a better world for everyone.
SEX & MOTHERHOOD
Motherhood and sexuality are not opposites. They are both born from the same creative, life-giving energy. Yet somewhere along the way, our culture decided that once you become a mother, your pleasure should take a back seat to everyone else’s needs. Mothers are taught to pour endlessly into others, to find fulfillment in service, and to feel guilty for wanting anything just for themselves.
When Midlife Meets Motherhood
For too long, menopause has been treated as something to hide, endure, or quietly survive. Our culture doesn’t talk about it, and because of that silence, generations of women have suffered. But menopause is not an ending. It is a rite of passage… as sacred and transformative as birth.
Today, more people are having babies later in life, which means many are entering perimenopause or menopause while still deep in the work of mothering. You might be postpartum and perimenopausal at the same time. You might be raising children, caring for aging parents, building a career, and trying to remember who you are beneath all the roles. These overlapping transitions can feel heavy, messy, and invisible, and yet, they are profoundly human.
Mothering in a Society That Wasn’t Built for Mothers
Mothering is the daily practice of showing up in a world that often refuses to make space for you. It is an act of care, resilience, and rebellion. The work is endless, often invisible, and yet it holds the power to shape generations.
In this section, we talk about what it means to mother within systems that undervalue both mothers and care work. We explore the emotional labor, the exhaustion, and the tenderness that coexist in the same breath. We name the mental load for what it is: unpaid, unacknowledged expertise.
Here, you will not find advice about how to be a “better” mother. You will find solidarity, language, and reflection. You will find permission to mother in ways that are aligned with your values, not with cultural myths. Mothering is political, personal, and powerful, and it deserves to be treated that way.
I’m Dawn, a Certified Nurse Midwife, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I am also a mom of four, with 19 years of mothering experience. I’ve spent over a decade supporting women and mothers professionally, through every phase of life, from fertility and pregnancy to postpartum, perimenopause, and beyond.
My work is holistic and rooted in matriarchy, a model of care that honors women’s wisdom, centers mothers’ lived experiences, and values care as the foundation of a healthy society. I approach motherhood as both a rite of passage and a radical act of creation, guided by the principles of social and reproductive justice.
I believe healthcare should honor the full person, not just their symptoms, and that mothers deserve care that reflects their humanity, dignity, and complexity. Through Matricentric Health & Well Care, I’ve created a space for evidence-based, holistic, and mother-centered care that fills the gaps our healthcare system so often leaves behind.
Whether I’m writing, teaching, or sitting with someone one-on-one, my mission remains the same: to make mothers feel seen, heard, and supported in every season of their becoming.
