When it comes to motherhood, Hillary Frank has seen — and reported on — it all.
The Staples High School Class of 1994 member — who left after junior year, headed directly to Tufts University — has carved out a national niche as a “mom’s expert.”
She’s not an advice giver — plenty of women do that. Instead she reports on life as a mother. It’s a rich vein, and she’s done it for “This American Life,” “Studio 360,” “Marketplace” and “All Things Considered.” She’s written 3 novels.
Hillary Frank
And for the past 8 years, Hillary’s podcast “The Longest Shortest Time” has covered stories mothers may not even know they need to hear. Topics include miscarriages, the NICU, and a lifelong vegetarian who thought her son’s digestive problem came from her breast milk, and began eating meat.
Along the way, she’s learned many things. Including the fact that even in the waning days of 2018, motherhood is still a topic deemed unimportant by many.
And that includes other women.
Hillary wanted to do a story on why many mothers who suffer childbirth injuries live with pelvic pain long after giving birth. They are resigned to painful sex — or no sex at all — even though most injuries can be remedied by pelvic floor physical therapy.
The editors — one female, one male — thought her focus on sex after injury was inappropriate. But, Hillary notes, there is no shortage of stories — on the radio, and everywhere else — about erectile dysfunction.
Hillary shares that story — and other cogent observations on life as a motherhood expert — in today’s New York Times. Her op-ed piece is called “The Special Misogyny Reserved for Mothers.”
Will anything change in 2019?
Stay tuned — to Hillary Frank’s podcast.
(Click here to read today’s op-ed story by Hillary Frank. Click here for a link to her podcasts.)
What an important voice! I just pre-ordered the book and look forward to reading it. Well done, Hillary.
Frost or Frank?
>
Frank. My bad. I’ve fixed the erroneous headline. Sorry!
Great story! Bravo, Hillary!
So it’s “misogyny” when an editor doesn’t like someone’s book or article? I guess it is in a loony left wing media world where thoughtful scholars like Heather Mac Donald are denounced as “racist” and the 6.5 million Jews living in Israel are to be written off because their state is supposedly “Apartheid.”
Given the penchant of NPR and the NY Times to seek “diversity,” Ms. Frank should thank her lucky stars that she is carried by these progressive outlets, despite the incredible level of “white privilege” she enjoys: Westport upbringing, Tufts education, etc etc etc.
Peter, I am a Jew. I care about Israel ,my culture,my traditions and values. Your view is extremely off course and mean in spirit. Happy New Year. Great job Hillary
Dear Richard,
Did you read Ms. Frank’s piece? Do you believe it’s fair of her to accuse editors (including women) who did not buy her story pitches “misogynists?”
Do you honestly believe that NPR – of all organizations – is dismissive of content about the problems of motherhood…or women in general?
Is it not “mean in spirit” for people in commerce (and media is definitely commerce) to engage in name-calling when they don’t get what they want?
Happy New Year to you, too!
Peter
Keep up the good work Hillary and just ignore the uninformed responses. I am a mentor to a group of young Moms and I know that you are helping those you reach. My own story: In 1965 I was hired by a major company. I was told that I would be paid a salary lower than the men I was working with who had the same responsibilities because “You are a woman and you will just get pregnant and leave.” ( I wasn’t married!) I was happy to have the job and the pay because it was more than I had been earning employed by a non profit agency. However, my responsibilities were less with the major company than those I had in the non profit. Thankfully now some things are better for women than they were then but we still have a long way to go. Keep plugging Hillary. Many of us are cheering you on and in my case, my granddaughters will thank you.