Chantal Andersen

As we look at the prominent and adoring coverage of celebrity moms and babies – such as the media excitement that surrounded the birth of Beyoncé’s daughter Blue Ivy– how can we doubt that motherhood, and the health and welfare of all mothers, is a cornerstone of our culture? The International Museum of Women’s new online exhibition, MAMA: Motherhood Around the Globe, suggests a far more complex and confusing picture. Both the global statistics and our exhibition tell a story that is very different to the glowing and positive picture that surrounds each new celebrity birth.