Ever since I was slated to speak at the Mom 2.0 Summit in New Orleans next spring, I've been thinking a lot about dadblogs. Because for the first time, it feels like I actually have one.
You may not be aware of this, but for the past 7½ years I've been categorized, published, and marketed as a momblogger. It's understandable, since 1) parent blogging is dominated by women, and 2) over the years, I've become something of a career BlogHerloper. Let's face it: If you're a women's conference looking to expand your brand by inviting some fellas along, I'm the go-to guy. In 2008, when I took the stage as the first man to speak at BlogHer, about 1,000 people attended. Next year, in San Diego, they're expecting three times that. You're welcome, ladies!
As great as the BlogHers have been, Mom 2.0 is different. It's smaller, and it aspires to the more specific goal of connecting breeders with the sponsors who love them. And this year, the organizers have noticed that dadbloggers are starting to coalesce into our own little community, and that marketers are starting to cock their eyebrows. If you've read this space for a while, you may remember how important I think dadblogs are, and that I'm ready to throw my full support behind anything that helps propagate them.
Naturally, some women think that the men are intruding. (One actually lamented that there would be "too much penis" at the conference. Really? That's how you wanted to headline your anti-man-ifesto? Eyes up here, lady!) This only goes to prove that Mom 2.0 isn't extending us this opportunity as some sort of altruistic pity party. Mom 2.0 is a business that is part of a larger business, and both want to grow. That some people are already distressed by what they perceive is a drastic change—which it decidedly isn’t—tells you how great a reputation the conference has earned after only two years. And that the 2.0verlords would risk their hard-earned emotional capital in order to try something new speaks to their bravery and entrepeneurship.
So yes. I'm jazzed. And I hope the moms know that the dads will be there to meet you and to learn from you, not to take over the joint. We may be resigned to know that, at the great Thanksgiving banquet that is subsidized parentblogging, the dads will probably remain over at the kids' table. But we at least might figure out how much turkey there is to go around.
