Mom, Interrupted

Articles

Naked Streets - Interruption #19

3 weeks ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

Whenever I visit other parts of the country, which I often do for work, I’m struck by the ugliness and sameness of our built environments. I know that the United States is filled with beautiful natural landscapes, along with some noteworthy neighborhoods and buildings, but you have to be intentional about seeking them out. If you’re not, you’re going to find a whole lot of concrete and fast-moving cars. Neon signs and big box stores. Houses clustered together along freeways. Treeless streets.
The Life-Changing Magic of No Longer Being a Wife

1 month ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

First, quick note: If you’re a subscriber wondering if you inadvertently signed up for a divorce newsletter, I wanted to acknowledge that this theme has dominated my stories lately and reassure you that I do plan on writing about other things! This is my journey right now, and in many ways, divorce is the ultimate interruption. If you enjoy this story, liking and sharing it helps me reach a wider audience.
Purses and Pockets - Interruption #17

1 month ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve been wearing the same pants for a week. They are pants I just don’t have to think about. They require no fussing or intermittent adjusting. There’s nothing that digs into my midsection or squeezes my belly over the waistline. I don’t need a belt, and I don’t have to unzip or unbutton anything when I slide them down to pee. They are also the kind of pants that can easily be dressed up.
Are Single Moms Better Off Than Married Moms?

1 month ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

If you enjoy this story, liking and sharing it helps me reach a wider audience. Becoming a subscriber is a great way to support my work, and becoming a paying subscriber is even better! Paying subscribers enable me to offer these longer, research-informed stories for free, and they get full access to weekly “interruptions” — short reflections on simple ways we can interrupt white patriarchal narratives.
Banish Your Mirrors - Interruption #16

1 month ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

Whenever I travel, I spend a disproportionate amount of time looking into mirrors. That’s because the mirrors at hotels and AirBnbs are often positioned under higher-wattage lighting than my dim bathroom bulb at home, and they often show me angles of myself that I’m not used to looking at. It doesn’t particularly please me, gazing into new mirrors.
The Season of Hard — Interruption #15

1 month ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

It’s cliché, I know, to wax poetic about the springtime. But in Portland, Oregon, it’s difficult not to. On a still, sunny day, the multilayered hues of green are so intense, I almost have to avert my eyes. The air positively vibrates with color and fragrance. People here complain about the rain. But these sunny spring days are our payoff, and I wouldn’t trade them for anything.
There Is No Such Thing As a Casual Divorce

1 month ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

To hear some people talk, you might think that women these days are getting divorced all willy-nilly. We’re jumping on the divorce bandwagon because it’s trendy. We’re breaking up families and telling our partners to get lost because we just don’t feel like working on our marriages. We have no respect for our wedding vows, we can’t be trusted, and we don’t value commitment. Well.
Solvable Problems — Interruption #14

2 months ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

For months now, I’ve been wanting to hire a carpet cleaner. The finished basement room where I sleep, work, and write has wall-to-wall carpet, which was starting look, well, kind of gross. But it was one of those things I could never seem to prioritize in the midst of the dozens (hundreds?) of other things that demanded my money and attention. Finally, last week, I just got it done. Found a recommendation, booked an appointment, and someone came in in the next day.
The Power of Small - Interruption #13

2 months ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor

I have always appreciated small things. Not necessarily the “small things in life” (though I appreciate those, too) but small spaces, small businesses, small towns. I’ve lived in small houses for my entire life, driven small cars, and sought out urban neighborhoods with a small-town feel. Honestly, most things are so much better when they’re small. Which is ironic, because I live in a country that worships BIG. We like BIG houses, BIG cars, BIG cities.
Should Feminists Care About Male Suffering?

2 months ago | keralataylor.substack.com | Kerala Taylor |Richard Reeves

Men, I’ve heard, aren’t doing too well. They are lonely. They are depressed. They are underemployed, undereducated, and underloved. As a woman, I have empathy for male suffering because I have empathy for all human suffering. Yes, suffering is part of life, but I’m of the humble opinion that we are all doing far too much of it, particularly considering how many resources and how much knowledge we have at our disposal.