There is so much I could talk about today. The leaked Supreme Court opinion for Thomas E. Dobbs, State Health Officer of the Mississippi Department of Health, et al., Petitioners v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, et al., is expected to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the decision about abortion to states. I have many thoughts about the ramifications of such a decision.
But what is heavy on my mind is how full bodily autonomy, equality, and independence for all women is threatening to the way of life for some women. Events like this are a reminder that women not only have diverse lived experiences but make decisions differently based on those experiences.
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by half a percentage point today. Increasing interest rates makes borrowing money more expensive and rewards saving. Hence, the demand for goods should decrease, causing prices and inflation to fall.
I am concerned that these events will overshadow Mother’s Day celebrations for many this weekend.
Table 1. Number of First Time Mothers: May 2019 – April 2020
| Gen X | Millennial | Gen Z | Total | |
| Asian | 9,410 | 87,278 | 3,252 | 99,940 |
| Black | 11,856 | 97,736 | 43,134 | 152,726 |
| Hispanic | 17,381 | 163,442 | 67,478 | 248,301 |
| Multiracial | 2,611 | 36,206 | 11,925 | 50,742 |
| Native American | 210 | 2,951 | 2,240 | 5,401 |
| Other | 717 | 3,041 | 865 | 4,623 |
| White | 44,599 | 592,229 | 108,706 | 745,534 |
| Total | 86,784 | 982,883 | 237,600 | 1,307,267 |
Source: 2020 American Community Survey, U.S. Census, www.ipums.umn.edu
For these women and others who had babies during the pandemic, this will be the first Mother’s Day that they will be able to celebrate with loved ones. So, I’ll end by wishing the 1.3 mil women who became mothers for the first time from May 2019 to April 2020 a Happy Mother’s Day.
Happy Mother’s Day,
