Mother's Day in the Middle East!

Elie from Lebanon brings forth the idea that should be the norm: Everyday should be mother's day. This appreciation need not be extravagant nor in material things, but it should should be meaningful and heartfelt. Here is a touching ode to mothers.

"The greatest things mothers have done are the ones even you don’t know. You owe them all that you are and hope to be. But they will never collect. They are kind, they are smart, they are beautiful, they are the most important. And even though my mother might probably never read this, I cannot but tell her on her day that I unconditionally and irrevocably love her – the kindest, most heart-warming and sincere person I’ve ever known."

There is this misconception that mothers are just glorified housekeepers with decent cooking skills. Well, this blog entry is a reminder that mothers are intelligent entities who read, who think, who dream. And their imagination is not limited to what comes out of their loins. Yet, advertising companies take this day as an opportunity to exploit gender stereotypes on motherhood.

"The mother, on the other hand, is 'simple.' Just like any other woman, she is a tool, just a means to an end. Without any hesitation, she can immediately be volunteered as something to vitalize the markets’ sales, because she has no powers revolting for her. The only powers that be are those that seek to preserve men."

Speaking of advertising and gender expectations, this Lebanese blogger highlights some gender bender billboards that play on and challenge these very expectations.

"Interesting all three brands C&F cosmetics, Fiordelli clothing, and Virgin Megastore decided to play gender identity crisis for this Mother's Day. All three of them challenge the stereotypical roles of society (the ever-present mother, the macho man, and even if I don't know what C&F are toying with, it seemed fitting to include in this category)."

Going the opposite direction of what Elie was saying, this billboard wants you get to get extravagant. And possibly give your mother a very bizarre-looking black eye. Hopefully, it was a printing mistake, a very expensive printing mistake.