This Mother’s Day, mothers from the left, the right, and everywhere in between are coming together to call for an extension of postpartum Medicaid coverage. This display of collaboration across political differences is a reminder that – even in these polarized times – we must refuse to be enemies. It is so tempting to obsess over our differences.
But in real life, away from the vitriol and anonymity of social media, people don’t want to be divided or pitted against one another. I experience this desire to stay connected in my daily interactions with other moms. When a group of moms gets together, they don’t pick sides or draw lines in the sand. Instead of hating each other, they figure out how to take care of each other. The aforementioned advocacy push for Assembly Bill 97, which would extend Medicaid coverage to 12 months postpartum, is an example of this care.
Supporters believe that no mom in the state of Wisconsin should lose their healthcare coverage just 60 days after giving birth, when you are still tending to your physical and emotional needs. Not only would moms benefit from this extension, so too would the babies that depend on them. Motherhood isn’t about what you look like or how you worship. Motherhood is about love and taking responsibility for a better future.
Motherhood doesn’t have time to fixate on the problem, but must instead seek the solution. It was our mothers, wasn’t it, who taught us to share and be considerate. It was our mothers who brought us into the world with an inherent reverence for our shared humanity. I have been honored to witness moms of different ideologies, faiths, races, socioeconomic realities, and generations come together and demand that our elected representatives show up for families. Prioritizing the health and wellness of new parents and their children is a non-partisan issue.
Even if you’re not a mom, you’ve got one, so please join us in honoring moms this May 11th by asking your Assembly member to vote for AB97. For this mom, and so many others across the state, its passage would be much better than a bouquet.
