Nuclear Family Essay

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This paper explores the nuclear family within the context of the sociology of gender. Michael Kimmel and Jacqueline Holler (2011) indicatethat conservative social groups such as REAL Women of Canada define the nuclear family in terms of the 1950s gender norms reflected in popular television shows such as of Leave it to Beaver(Kimmel & Holler, p. 141).In this type of traditional family dad goes out to work to support the family and mom stays home to watch the children and take care of the home. Kimmel and Holler reference the view that the nuclear family involves “a legal lifelong sexually exclusive, heterosexual monogamous marriage, based on affection and companionship, in which there is a sharp division of labour with the female as full time housewife and the male as primary provider and ultimate authority” (Kimmel & Holler, p. 141). Atraditional or nuclearfamily such as that described by Kimmel and Holler is typically made up of the father,the mother and atleast one child. The relationship between the man and the woman is heterosexual, they are legally married and their children are ideally produced through sexual union rather than adoption (Class Notes, 01/28/14). There are different perspectives on the foundations of the nuclear family. For example, some argue that this form of the family is ‘natural’ and reflects the ‘normal’ and healthy biological urges of males and females as partners in reproduction. Others argue that the nuclear family does not represent a norm based on biological facts but rather exists alongside many other types of families such as single parent families and same-sex families. From this perspective, the family is socially constructed instead of being biologically determined, and society produces a dive... ... middle of paper ... ... assumptions have socially constructed men as dominant and women as submissive, and how these gender differences have been reflected in nuclear families where men rule while women and children obey. The essay explored how gender inequality in the nuclear family can create domestic violence of various kinds. However, this essay also pointed out that the ‘ideal’ of the 1950s family of Leave it to Beaverhas never really existed on a large scale and that modern society is characterized by a growing diversity of family forms such as single parent and same-sex families. Unfortunately, certain aspects of the nuclear family such as the notion that children benefit from both paternal and maternal influences continue to have a strong influence in society. As a result, more progress remains to be made so that all family types gain acceptance and affirmation within our society.

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