Contesting the myth of the ‘wicked stepmother’: narrative analysis of an online stepfamily support group

Abstract

This is the study of the narratives of a group of stepmothers who are members of an online blended family support group. Specifically, this study examines how the stepmothers utilize narratives to address the myth of the ‘wicked stepmother’ and the stigma associated with the stepmother role. History and implications of the ‘wicked stepmother’ myth are examined. Analysis of online narratives reveals the stepmothers' creation of a binary opposition—that of the biological mother as ‘wicked’ and the stepmother as ‘good’—in their attempt to deconstruct and contest this prevailing myth. Implications for narrative use among other social support groups are explored.