Am I Two Different People?

I dance burlesque, I model fine art nudes (as well as corsetry nudes) I make art, and I am a mommy.

From some of the other mommies I know seem surprised I still dance, that I have no plans on making a career for myself that doesnt involve rhinestones and semi nudity. From some of the Burlesque dancers I know they seem surprised that I would want to have a child as if I couldn't have both a baby and a collection of feather boas (this has been less common with other dancers than with other mommies).

I am not two different people, I can be a mother and shimmy onstage without issue. I can stand there in full make-up and coated in glitter and rhinestones while talking about my child and I dont feel strange about it.

After the birth of my son I feel more inspired to enrich my performance skills. More inspired to learn and grow as a performer, and trust me I have a lot of learning and growing to do. But then I want feather boas, stage make-up, and performing to be normal for him. I dont want him to grow up thinking costumes or make-up are strange.

DO I segment parts away from my child? Well yeah, the more sexual overtones are avoided, though he has been present at a couple of performances (that werent in bars) and I see nothing wrong with that, a look over the shoulder and a gown that shimmers as it hits the floor arent going to scar him for life. Anything more sexual than that will be kept for adults as it should be, children should be allowed to be children without the pressure to understand things they arent ready for. This doesnt mean that my life is put on hold until then though. Just as we multitask in daily life I do so with who I am. I am a mother, I do dance, I can do both.

We are All Habiba

"We are all Habiba" Graphic Courtesy of Louma Sader Bujana

Today as I was scanning my facebook page I saw a link to a blog :http://teslagirl360.blogspot.com/2011/06/what-if-you-were-this-mother.html?showComment=1307596606742#c7321482027146974105

that I like to normally follow, this time it was titled "If you were this mother".

What I read both shocked me and broke my heart. Below is the press release.

Four days ago, the Madrid Institute for Minors and Families (IMMF), decided to separate a little girl from her mother for not complying with the objectives of a psychotherapy program and "maternal abilities" that imply to abandon extended breastfeeding and breastfeeding on demand because it is considered "chaotic" and "harmful for every boy and girl". With these considerations all lacking scientific or legal facts, they force mothers to take medication to cease milk production.

According to the Spanish Association of Pediatricians, breastfeeding should be on demand and it can be extended as long as both child an mother wish. No legal action has been taken to separate mother and child, and the mother has not been allowed to say goodbye nor has she been told where her daughter will be taken causing a grave defenselessness on both. Habiba is engorged and on the brink of mastitis and with a broken heart with pain, with barely any sleep or bite to eat. This woman has been evaluated by a psychiatrist and she does not show any signs of mental illness, drug consumption or anything that would justify making her victim of such aggression.

They threw Habiba on the streets the same moment they took her daughter telling her she had no more
room there because the resources they offer are for mothers and children and she did not have a child anymore. A humanitarian foundation has decided to help this mother donating legal support as well as shelter . We are deeply concerned by Habiba's pain and it pains us to imagine the circumstances this 15 month old child might be in, separated from her mother in an abrupt fashion most likely with no one explaining anything to her.

.We consider Habiba and her child's case as a serious violation of human rights as well as children's rights. The damage is already done but if mother and child are reunited immediately it can be repaired because of this we urge you to write to write and protest to IMMF management, asking for the immediate return of the child to her mother

As I sit at the computer I am nursing my son who is almost eight months old. He snuggles on my lap and nurses..he is a snacker, he falls asleep each night eating, he looks to me for comfort and love as well as nourishment.

I found and joined the facebook page "Worldwide Mothers Support Habiba!"

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Worldwide-Mothers-support-Habiba-IMMF-Give-her-baby-back/125104760904059

I signed the petition

http://actuable.es/peticiones/dile-al-instituto-madrileno-del-menor-y-familia-reuna-a

To sign the petition, find the form at the top right of the page (in the blue frame) and fill:
Tu nombre: name
Tu apellido: last name
Tu correo-e: email
Cód. Postal: zip code

I've shared this everywhere I could.

What if this was you? Your baby? Habiba and I are different in many ways, but we are both mothers. Raise the bar, tell your friends, share on facebook, talk about this, write letters, sign the petition. We have to let the world know that parents everywhere want the IMMF to return her daughter NOW.