Oiselle Signs On as Founding Sponsor of &Mother

May 6, 2021

The Non-Profit Focuses on Cultural and Structural Change Surrounding Motherhood

Seattle, WA – May 6, 2021 –  Oiselle signs on as a Founding Sponsor of new US non-profit &Mother. Co-founded by US Olympian Alysia Montaño, &Mother is dedicated to breaking barriers limiting a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood — starting with professional athletes.

As a Founding Sponsor, Oiselle will provide a financial contribution as well as legal/consulting fee support for the development of boilerplate language for contractual pregnancy and parenting protections.

“Motherhood protections are a human right.” said Oiselle CEO, Sally Bergesen. “We are honored to team up with &Mother to deliver contractual language for all elite athletes to use in negotiations and for brands to model when cultivating a more equitable work environment.”

During the peak of her career in 2013, Montaño discovered brands weren’t always so on board with motherhood, as her then sponsor – Nike said they would cease her pay if she became pregnant, which she soon did. Months later, the 6 time 800m US Champion was signed by Asics and promised maternity coverage for the future. But, following the birth of her daughter (Linnéa) in 2014 – and after a change of management – Montaño’s contract was cut due to her performances whilst pregnant.

Montaño’s treatment became the catalyst for a movement to find companies who support female professional athletes in pregnancy, and beyond. Fellow moms and star runners, Allyson Felix (the most decorated female Olympian of all time), and long-distance champion, Kara Goucher joined Montaño’s movement, with all three women speaking out, and standing up for maternal protection in their contracts.

“Stereotyped assumptions of a mother’s capability and value has led to a society that consciously or unconsciously chooses one path for them, rather than elevating both,” said Montaño. “We envision a culture where motherhood is not a limiting factor in how women succeed professionally or personally.”

About &Mother

Building on the momentum of the #DreamMaternity movement, a call for action and awareness around the lack of sponsor support for female athletes choosing to become mothers during their athletic careers, &Mother was founded to transition the movement to impact across industries. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, &Mother is dedicated to breaking down the barriers that limit a woman’s choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood. Their first initiative centers on creating cultural and structural change within the Sports Industry. Join the community on Instagram and Twitter and connect with us at www.andmother.org

About Oiselle

Oiselle is a women’s athletic apparel company that balances community and design. Following its first quest to create non-poofy shorts in 2007, the company has grown steadily as an independent brand that now designs and distributes a full range of competition and lifestyle apparel, online and at its University Village flagship store in Seattle. The company sponsors world-class athletes, has a virtual and IRL community for women athletes called the Volée, and gives back to communities in need through its Bras for Girls sports bra donation program. Oiselle is headquartered in Magnuson Park, Seattle, Washington. Follow Oiselle on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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