ABOUT US
WHY MOMBOD
This is a MomBod is a feminist clothing brand and cultural commentary Substack rooted in the idea that feminism begins in motherhood. It was created in response to the DadBod phenomenon, a cultural shorthand that normalizes male imperfection while reinforcing far more rigid expectations for mothers in nearly every area of life.
While conversations around diet culture, body image, and appearance pressure are important strands of feminist thought, This is a MomBod is not a body-focused brand. Instead, it uses motherhood as a starting point to examine how cultural expectations shape women’s lives more broadly.
The “DadBod” is not just a body type; it reflects a wider social permission structure. MomBod challenges that structure by focusing on motherhood as a site where inequality becomes visible in real time: in labor, identity, time, care, and cultural expectation.
More than a slogan, This is a MomBod is a women-owned feminist fashion brand, media platform, and newsletter dedicated to cultural critique, storytelling, and empowerment. Through apparel and editorial content, it explores the lived realities of motherhood while challenging outdated narratives about women’s roles and worth.
This is a MomBod. A feminist response to the DadBod, and a reminder that motherhood is where cultural expectations are most clearly revealed.
Co-Founder
ALEXINA CATHER
Alexina Cather is a single mom to three boys and works in food policy and school food. She grew up in San Diego and holds a B.A. in Integrative Biology and a minor in Anthropology from U.C. Berkeley, and an MPH from the University of San Francisco. In 2020, after years of living and working in NYC, she moved to Vermont but still works in NYC, and her juggling skills have gotten so good she often thinks she should join the circus. LinkedIn
Co-Founder
EMILY GAYNOR PORTO
Emily Gaynor Porto is a cultural publicist working in the contemporary art world, specializing in communications and storytelling for artists and creative institutions. She is also a mother of twins and navigates co-parenting, bringing a lived perspective on motherhood, identity, and cultural narratives to her work.
Originally from Portland, Oregon, she holds a B.A. in Hispanic Studies from Vassar College and an M.A. in Cultural Memory from the University of London. Her academic background informs her interest in how culture, memory, and identity are shaped and communicated over time.
After many years living and working in New York City’s arts and media landscape, she is now based in Cooperstown, New York, where she continues her work across art, media, and feminist cultural commentary.