#InstaMoms: Filipina Influencers on Idealized Contemporary Motherhood

Abstract

This paper discusses how Filipina #InstaMoms relate to the evolution of the concept of ideal motherhood in the Philippines. We propose to look at Filipino motherhood in four stages: first
is the ideal traditional, second is the ideal transient, third is the ideal transnational, and last is what we call idealized contemporary motherhood. We posit that while Filipina #InstaMoms consciously create contents for fellow mothers’ consumption and their product promotion, they also unintendedly create the fourth stage which is idealized contemporary motherhood in the age of social media. Using netnography and guided by the frameworks of postfeminism and relatability, we found that idealized contemporary Filipina motherhood challenge the image of a “selfless mother” and encourage mothers to reject the concept of “motherhood guilt” but at the same time also brings in additional standards on motherhood. The images being shown by #InstaMoms include a mother who is financially independent (with small business or earnings as social media influencer), self-confident with regard to her own body, can balance homemaking and self-care, and still oversee the emotional well-being of the family. While it implies agency and emancipation, it also means increased uncalculated labor for Filipino women who want to“have it all” (McRobbie 2009) outside of social media platforms. We recommend that future works include key interviews with #InstaMoms, that the roles of daddy influencers (specifically those who open separate accounts after their wives became known mommy influencers) be examined, and that self-representations of teenage mothers in the digital sphere
(beyond Instagram) be explored.