What is Mothers Under the Influence?

Hi, I’m Kathryn Jezer-Morton and I study momfluencers. This newsletter is where I let myself have fun indulging my longtime obsessions.

I’m a PhD candidate in Sociology at Concordia University in Montreal. I’m also a writer. If you’re looking for a witty skewering of momfluencer culture, you will be disappointed. I won’t write anything here that I wouldn’t say to a momfluencer face-to-face. As an aspiring sociologist I am guided by curiosity. I didn’t take up this field of study to make fun of other women. I love speaking to momfluencers about their work — they have taught me a lot. I’m also a scholar of intersectional feminism. Life’s a rich ragout, baby.

If you know anything about me, you know I have an unconventional background. You know how, in Talking Heads songs, David Byrne is often remarking at the world around him with curious disbelief? “What’s going on here? Why is everyone acting like this? Is this a party? Why is everyone wearing these wide brimmed hats?”

Sometimes I feel like David Byrne among the momfluencers. Thanks for joining me.

I have done a fair amount of writing for many different outlets over the years. You can see more of my writing on this website I made for an assignment in a multimedia course I took at Concordia when I was doing my Masters. I’ll make a new one someday!

Keep in touch

If you’re a momfluencer and wish to chat with me sometime, please leave a comment and I’ll follow up with you. I am still expanding my data pool, and am especially interested in speaking to momfluencers working on breaking the 50k follower barrier. Do you have a perspective you feel hasn’t been covered in media representations of momfluencers? Let’s talk.

To find out more about the company that provides the tech for this newsletter, visit Substack.com.