For centuries, mothers have fought for their children, often at great personal cost. The fight is ongoing, with women still struggling to secure custody in courtrooms across the globe. Lara Feigel's book delves into this complex history, weaving together a narrative that spans centuries and continents.
The story begins with French novelist George Sand, who was willing to risk her own sanity to fight for custody of her children. Her courage ultimately led to changes in the law, giving women basic rights over their property and children. However, her tale is also marked by tragedy, including the loss of one of her sons during their enforced separation.
Feigel's research takes us on a journey through history, from 19th-century London to the United States in the early 20th century, where Elizabeth Packard was forced away from her children and into an insane asylum. We also meet Edna O'Brien, who won custody of her sons but spoke candidly about the pain of their struggles with custody battles.
Despite the progress made by women like Sand and Norton, the book ultimately reveals a sense of stagnation in the fight for mothers' rights. The experiences of Alice Walker, whose daughter Rebecca was deeply affected by their shared childcare arrangement after divorce, also highlight the enduring challenges faced by mothers today.
Feigel's attempt to conclude the book on an optimistic note falls flat. Her suggestion that we can imagine a future where emancipation and care coexist feels fragile in light of the stories she has told. Instead, we are left with a sense of frustration and disappointment, as women continue to fight for their children amidst a system often stacked against them.
The ongoing custody battles faced by mothers worldwide serve as a stark reminder that progress is slow and often uneven. As Feigel so eloquently conveys, the pain of these struggles can be overwhelming, leaving women feeling hollow-eyed with sorrow after a sleepless night. The fight for mothers' rights remains far from over, and it's essential to continue pushing for change in our pursuit of a more equitable society for all families.
The story begins with French novelist George Sand, who was willing to risk her own sanity to fight for custody of her children. Her courage ultimately led to changes in the law, giving women basic rights over their property and children. However, her tale is also marked by tragedy, including the loss of one of her sons during their enforced separation.
Feigel's research takes us on a journey through history, from 19th-century London to the United States in the early 20th century, where Elizabeth Packard was forced away from her children and into an insane asylum. We also meet Edna O'Brien, who won custody of her sons but spoke candidly about the pain of their struggles with custody battles.
Despite the progress made by women like Sand and Norton, the book ultimately reveals a sense of stagnation in the fight for mothers' rights. The experiences of Alice Walker, whose daughter Rebecca was deeply affected by their shared childcare arrangement after divorce, also highlight the enduring challenges faced by mothers today.
Feigel's attempt to conclude the book on an optimistic note falls flat. Her suggestion that we can imagine a future where emancipation and care coexist feels fragile in light of the stories she has told. Instead, we are left with a sense of frustration and disappointment, as women continue to fight for their children amidst a system often stacked against them.
The ongoing custody battles faced by mothers worldwide serve as a stark reminder that progress is slow and often uneven. As Feigel so eloquently conveys, the pain of these struggles can be overwhelming, leaving women feeling hollow-eyed with sorrow after a sleepless night. The fight for mothers' rights remains far from over, and it's essential to continue pushing for change in our pursuit of a more equitable society for all families.
. It's crazy to think that women like George Sand have been fighting for so long and yet we're still seeing stories like Elizabeth Packard's today. The way they talk about the emotional toll of it all is so relatable - I've seen my own kid go through a custody battle with their other parent and it's devastating 
. It feels like progress has been slow and sometimes you just want to throw in the towel, but then you see women like Edna O'Brien fighting for their rights and it gives me hope 
. We need more stories like this being told so that people can understand what moms are going through. And honestly, I think we're still a long way off from having a system that's fair and equitable for all families 
.
I just finished reading this book and I'm still trying to process everything. It's heartbreaking to think about all the women who've been through this struggle and are still fighting today. 
The author does an amazing job highlighting their stories, but it feels like a small victory in the grand scheme of things. The fact that we're still dealing with these issues after centuries is just... *sigh* 
I think what bothers me most is how many women have to go through this alone - lack of support from family and friends can be just as damaging as any court system. We need more education, more resources, more people willing to listen and help. This fight for mothers' rights isn't going away anytime soon, so let's keep pushing forward 
last weekend and saw the most gorgeous sunrise 
over the mountains. It totally changed my perspective on life. I mean, think about it, we're still driving around in these crazy fast cars 
, using our phones to navigate 
, while these women are fighting for their kids' rights and dealing with so much stress 
in these cities? I swear, I've spent like an hour searching for a spot just so my kid can play on the swings 
. Anyway, back to mothers' rights... we should really be doing more to help them out 
.
. Lara Feigel's book is like, super insightful and stuff, but honestly, her ending feels kinda hopeless 
But what about the mums who are still fighting for their rights right now? 
. I get it, history is complex and all that, but can't we just try to make things better for these women and their kids already? 
And those stories about moms struggling with custody battles are just heartbreaking - it's like, we're still living in a world where moms have to fight for their own kids 
women losing their kids over custody and mental health issues dont get me why we cant just have a system that works for everyone 
I gotta say, this whole custody battles thing is super heartbreaking. I mean, can you imagine fighting for your kids just to be told you're not good enough? It's crazy how far back this stuff goes, like with George Sand and all. Her story is wild 
. But what really gets me is that even though we've come a long way (I guess), it still feels like we're stuck in the same old pattern. Like, women are just as capable of being awesome moms as men, but society's always gonna try to hold us back. It's so frustrating 
. The part about Alice Walker's daughter Rebecca is super heartbreaking 
.
. alice walker's story with her daughter rebecca is super relatable too - it's like, we're still not there yet in terms of making custody battles more accessible for all moms. 
about the struggles mothers face when it comes to custody battles 
. We need to keep fighting for those who can't fight themselves 
We gotta be like Edna O'Brien, speaking out against the pain and struggles 
. The fact that we still have women going through insane asylum situations like Elizabeth Packard is just...ugh 
. Mothers' rights are human rights, after all 
!
I was sipping on their latte the other day and man, it's SO good! The barista, Rachel, she's got this quirky style going on and I'm obsessed with her Instagram 
. Anyway, what's up with custody battles in the US? My aunt went through that with my uncle and it was like, totally draining on everyone involved. They had to go to court and everything... I just can't even imagine how hard that must've been for them both 
. Anyways, I think whats important is keep pushin 4 change & make sure we got more equity 4 families everywhere 
. i cant help but think about all the women out there still fighting for custody today and it just makes me wanna scream 
. i wish feigels ending felt more hopeful, you know? like she kinda dropped the ball there 
. anyhoo, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about women's rights and fighting for change 
Women are constantly put through this emotional trauma and it's just not okay. I love how Lara Feigel is highlighting these strong women who paved the way but at the same time, her book feels super pessimistic about the progress we've made 
I'm literally getting chills reading this! Lara Feigel is a total hero for shedding light on the struggles of moms throughout history 
It's like, progress is slow, but not moving forward at all. I feel so bad for women like Alice Walker whose kids were affected by their custody arrangements after divorce