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Same gender families affect children
Impacts of same sex parents on children
Impacts of same sex parents on children
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This academic journal written by Timothy J. Biblarz and Judith Stacey is to attack the well-known idea of children needing both a mother and father role in their household. Biblarz is an associate professor of sociology and gender studies at the University of Southern California, while Stacey is also a professor of sociology at New York University, formerly working alongside Biblarz. Both are very passionate about gender, family, and sexuality studies, mainly emphasizing the effects of same-sex parenting. Stacey wrote the novel, Unhitched, which diminishes the popular belief about different gender parenting from her experiences. Biblarz and Stacey conduct a very detailed research study on both same-sex households, as well as heterosexual households to see what the similarities and differences are. Throughout this journal, the two conclude that children do not need a mother and father figure to function properly, as they are just as well off, if not better, with lesbian or gay parents. Biblarz and Stacey came into this already thinking that the gender of parents does not matter, but they stay open minded, often contributing sources that contradict their belief. Offering both viewpoints on the issue, they discuss why boys and girls do need a fatherly figure growing up. They state, “fathers foster …show more content…
The two counter-act against that belief that yes, children do get bullied more throughout their childhood, “but this speaks to social disapproval of their parents’ sexual identity rather than their gender” (Biblarz and Stacey 13). Another popular belief by people is the argument that children need a father figure in their life, to prevent delinquency as previously stated. However, “Most studies found that children from single-mother families averaged lower rates of delinquency than children with single fathers” (Biblarz and Stacey
This study was conducted in the Netherlands. First, the authors studied the association between “parental characteristics” and “child-rearing” factors. Second, they examined the “child adjustment” in planned lesbian mothers families and in heterosexual parents families. 100 planned lesbian mothers families were recruited through the Medical Center for Birth Control, homosexual parenting experts, the Dutch advocate group for homosexuality, and advertisement in the lesbian magazine. Compatible 100 heterosexual parents families were recruited from two cities. Participants participated in various data collection methods such as questionnaires, observations (home-visit), and diaries. Data were collected in three main areas: “child adjustment (internalizing, externalizing, and problematic behaviors), parental characteristics (balance between work and family tasks, satisfaction with the partner as coparnet, degree of wanting child, child-rearing aims, and parental justification), and child rearing (emotional involvement, parental concern, power assertion, induction, supportive presence, respect for the child’s autonomy, structure, and limit-setting).”
In today’s society, family structure has changed dramatically from the traditional nuclear family to the unconventional, such as single parenting or same sex families. Over the years, many individuals questioned whether or not a parent’s sexual orientation affected their child’s sexual preference. There is significant research that has shown that children with lesbian parents do not differ from children with heterosexual parents. Many individuals stated that it is the value of the parent’s relationship with the child and not the parent’s sexual orientation that affects the child’s development. Contrary to the popular belief, children raised by lesbian parents are not more likely to become gay than children who are raised by heterosexual parents. A parent’s sexual orientation has said to have little importance to children other than the family togetherness. In other words, the relationship of the parent and child is far greater important than the sexual orientation of one’s parents. To be a good parent to a child has nothing to do with one’s sexual preference, but how well one takes care of that child emotionally, physically, financially, and mentally. Before the 20th, century children were often seen as miniature versions of adults so there was little consideration to children development in cognitive and physical development. The interest of child development did not peak until the early 20th century. Conscientious parenting happens not only within traditional nuclear families, but also within homosexual families. Both traditional nuclear and homosexual families can have positive and negative effects on children’s cognitive, psychological or behavioral development due to their rearing.
Therefore, the constrictive American ideals of male and female gender identities inhibits growth and acceptance of gender expression. Each gender is separated by rules and guidelines that they must abide by. This, in turn, creates inner tensions that inhibit personal growth. For males, this may be, or is, an extraordinarily arduous task. More often than not, it is other male figures, such as the father, that administer and enforce these certain rules.
Families are becoming more diverse and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some people consider families to be strictly biological, while others consider people they love to be their family. Although two-parent families, also known as a nuclear family are the majority, one-parent families are becoming more common in today’s society. A sole-parent is considered to be a parent without a partner or spouse who is the primary care giver of one or more children in a household (Ministry of Social Development, 2010). From the age of 14 onward I was raised by m...
Findings from The Census Bureau suggested that females are designated as the default parent; the parent who mainly manages a child’s needs alone. In 2010, it was recorded that only 32% of fathers were primary caretakers of their children (Rampbell, 2010). However, in the common situation where the woman is the primary caretaker it is not considered an arrangement, but the norm. The article suggests that when a man fulfills a responsibility that in society’s perspective is part of a woman’s role, he receives appraisal whereas a woman does not (Schulten, 2012). Gender roles in parenting begins with the standards set at birth throughout modeling older generations of what is expected of an individual and what skills are expected in parenthood. The skills for adulthood based on each gender is very prevalent during child rearing regarding gendered-colors such as pink or blue, clothing being appropriated for genders separately, and most importantly the toys that support natalism (Allen,
Scoot M. Myers conducted a research beginning in 1980 about the procedures of religiosity inheritance in families. He interviewed 471 parents in 1980 and their adult offspring in 1992 addressed the effects of childhood, parental, and family influences on the religiosity of adult offspring, factors that conditioned the ability of parents to transmit their religiosity, and how recent experiences of adult offspring modify earlier family influences on religiosity. According to the results, there were three variables that influence the impact of religion on adult offspring. Within these three variables were parental religiosity, quality of the family relationship, and traditional family structure. Many studies found the research on the effect of parents’ religiosity on the religiosity of their offspring to have inconsistent results. Researchers have found that parental influence is a high impact for church attendance in adolescence but as their child ages, the impact decreases. Studies have also found that parental influence on religion heavily depends on the religion in which the parent practices. The accumulation of religious capital during childhood is heavily depended upon for transmission of parent’s religion to their offspring as well. Lastly, the events, experiences, and traditions within the family is a major factor that contributes to the influence of religion on adult offspring.
My motivation to research, discover, and stimulate social change is rooted in my childhood experiences. As a young child I grew up in a household filled with domestic violence, which ultimately ended with the suicide of my father. I subsequently came to know a variation of the typical American nuclear family: a single parent household. As I began to study family dynamics further, I was able to see my life experiences in a broader context. In hindsight, I now realize the impact and weight my own mother had on my personal development. It was through her strength, determination, and optimism that I was able to find the spark within myself to set goals and dreams for my future. She encouraged me never to accept anything at face value, including the way our society attempts to define my womanhood. As a result of this, I now question American culture’s classification of a ‘successful’ family and the factors that determine a ‘stable’ family.
Therefore having homosexual parents does not necessarily mean that the children in that family will also someday be homosexual. To conclude, I would like to say that good parenting style is very important for the child’s development. Also, I strongly believe that both the father and the mother should play an active role in the child’s life, because the child needs both of its parents and not just one. My research for this essay showed that there are more similarities between families of different cultures than differences. Furthermore, it showed that children who have homosexual parents do not inevitably become homosexual as well.
…And girls need their daddies! Fathers seem to be in tune to the fact that boys require special attention, discipline and leadership, but they are often unaware of how desperately their daughters need them (Dobson 93). Girls crave the love, attention and approval of their fathers. Whether or not they receive it, greatly impacts them their whole lives. Some would argue that this craving for affirmation among girls is the primary responsibility of the mother, while many fathers view the task of raising girls as a woman’s job (Dobson 93). However, it is highly evident that a daughter’s self-esteem, behavior, and relationships are directly impacted by the positive or negative relationship she has with her father.
Dr. Hicks (2008), a scholar at the University of Salford, stated profoundly that “instead of asking whether gay parenting is bad for kids, we should ask how contemporary discourses of sexuality maintain the very idea that lesbian and gay families are essentially different and, indeed, deficient.” By viewing same-sex parenting as an equal means of bringing up a child, research could move on to deeper studies that incorporate this family structure into analyses of children, marriages, and families.
American children who grow up and mature without a father figure are four times more likely to live a life in poverty, seven times more likely of becoming pregnant as a teen, two times more likely to commit a crime and end up in prison, and two times more likely to dropout of high school (Parent 113). Child development is dependent on the role and part that the father plays in the child’s life. Child development becomes slower and prolonged, when a father is absent throughout a child's lifetime. Children depend on both their mothers and fathers in order to become successful in school and life. Children primarily need their fathers support and role, in order to avoid distress and developmental issues.
In a family a father usually plays a different role from that of a mother in parenting. In most of child development studies, so much emphasis is placed on attachment between child and mother, and the role fathers play has always been ignored (Fitzgerald and Montanez, 2001).They state that the reason behind ignoring the role of the father in literature has been due to the fact that it was evaluated by theories originally intended to study the role of the mother. In recent years we have heard of the new father, who spends time with his children, shows a real interest on them, and shares the day to day chores of bringing them up. However in actual fact raising children remains largely the mother’s domain (Golombock,
This article showed some of the common opinions regarding gender-neutral parenting. Many parents have started to see some of the issues with “traditional” parenting styles that limit the possibilities of their children exploring different gender norms. With a shift on the views of gender and sexuality in our nation, many parents have begun to recognize the need for their children to figure out their gender through experiences and preferences. This idea is allowing children to be more fluid when it comes to gender, being able to experience their world in ways many people have been limited in generations prior. This will also allow parents to break down gender stereotypes from an early age, which could eliminate a lot of gender-based prejudice.
When someone thinks about the definition of a father, he or she thinks about the support, care, love, and knowledge a father gives to his offspring. Most people automatically believe that biological fathers, along with the mothers, raise their children. However, that is not always the case. There are many children across the world who are raised without their father. These children lack a father figure. People do not realize how detrimental the lack of a father figure can be to the child, both mentally and emotionally. Enrolling boys between the ages of 5 to 16 without father figures in programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, that involve building a relationship with someone who can serve as a role model is essential to prevent males from depression, difficulty in expressing emotions, and other consequences of having an absent father figure.
Thesis statement: The different aspects of gender roles varies when it comes to raising a child; there are the physical and emotional attributes, society’s expectations, the governmental aid given to males versus females, single parenting, co-parenting, how parenting differs with the gender of the child, and the outcome of the child based on how they were raised.