Oscars 2021, fertility and primal femininity ruled, and we loved it!

The Oscars 2021 had some powerful mother-goddess energy pulsing through it!

Motherhood is having a moment right now in the movie capital of the world, and last night’s Oscars were a celebration of fertility and parenthood, as well as a huge night for female creatives. In an industry that has long discriminated against working mothers, where young actresses like Oscars presenter Zendaya (whose character in Dune undergoes fertility treatment at the hands of space witches) are increasingly encouraged to freeze their eggs or delay motherhood for their career, it was encouraging to see pregnancy and mentions of children from female nominees on the night. Several winners and nominees were also IVF moms and mothers of adopted children too. 

Of course, A-listers have been taking control of their fertility and finding alternative ways to grow their family for years. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s unconventional family has been extensively covered in tabloids around the world, and Kim Kardashian has been up-front about her surrogacy journey. However, most things are possible when you’re a woman at the very top of your game. Last night’s Oscars included and celebrated the fertility journeys of the ambitious, working women of Hollywood too, as well as making winners of women who’ve already undergone fertility journeys such as IVF and adoption. 

The most exclusive red carpet accessory – a baby bump!

Emerald Fennel made her directorial debut for Promising Young Woman 7 months pregnant, highlighting her baby bump in glorious florals. She picked up the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and is the first woman to win a screenwriting Oscar since 2008. 

Embarrassing your kids is universally relatable

Many Oscar winners have mentioned their children in their speeches, but the winner of the Best Supporting Actress category & first Korean performer to win in this category Youn Yuh-Lung went one step further. She spoke directly to her two boys (although it felt like she was talking to the kids of all working women) and told them “This is the result – because Mommy worked so hard.”

Inspiring adoptive Oscar mothers

Viola Davis, the most nominated black actress in Oscars history, is also mother to an adopted daughter. The hard-working actress didn’t meet her current partner until she was 40, and the couple decided to adopt a little girl. Viola’s role as a mother inspired her to wear her natural hair to the Emmy’s award ceremony in 2015, where she won Best Actress, as a powerful example to her daughter. She’s also talked honestly about her work/life balance having a child, admitting she doesn’t always get it right. Viola is one of the many examples of Hollywood mothers who have managed to combine a career with being a parent – even when the fertility journey itself is tricky. 

Primal mother-wolf energy on stage at the Oscars

Multiple Oscar winner and mother to adopted children Frances McDormand let out an unexpected howl onstage. The yelps and wolf-like noises she expressed were in memory of a crew member who had taken his own life. “He’s part of the family” she said afterwards.

The female “death wail” is a long tradition, found in many cultures around the world. Although both genders take part in wailing in some cultures, in others it’s a rare chance for women to publicly express anguish and grief without judgement. America is grieving on many levels at the moment, and McDormand’s primal she-wolf howl seemed to make perfect sense in the midst of a very unusual awards ceremony. 

What did you think of the feminine energy at the Oscars? We’d love to know! Drop us a comment below or find us on Facebook at the bottom of the page. 

Photo by Chris Pizzello-Pool/Getty Images