"But if we're really being honest, a lot of these women were just doing what all moms do: their best. Through exhaustion. Through annoyance. Through partners who couldn't be bothered to do a damn thing. These "bad mom" characters often carry the emotional weight of the entire household - and, sometimes, the whole plot. So, let's kick off the official apology tour. Here's a tribute to some of the movie and TV moms who didn't deserve to be misunderstood, dismissed, or downright villainized."
"Joyce was a single mom working hard to support her two sons when one of them went missing. And in trying to rescue Will from another dimension, she gets gaslit and bagged on by the whole town. Karen was considered a bored, perhaps even vapid, housewife - until she came through in a major way in Season 5 and earned the title of "Karen Fucking Wheeler." These Hawkins' moms didn't get their flowers until the end of the series, and they *still* deserve more credit."
Pop culture often depicts mothers as cold, controlling, absent, or annoyingly present, yet many simply strive to do their best under pressure. Mothers frequently shoulder emotional labor, household responsibility, and plot-driving stakes while facing gaslighting, grief, and absent or unhelpful partners. Joyce Byers exemplifies a single parent whose missing child drives relentless rescue efforts and community disbelief. Karen Wheeler is misread as vapid before revealing decisive strength that changes perceptions. Queen Ramonda embodies a grieving protector and ruler whose death catalyzes narrative shifts. Miranda Hillard left a chaotic marriage and faced unfair villainization for protecting herself and her family.
Read at Scary Mommy
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