Although the concept of the traditional family structure will always endure through the passing of time, this concept has been changing lately. As society is adapting constantly to the different changing realities, the idea of the ideal family structure has extinguished since, nowadays, people tend to divorce and remarriage, or form untraditional families as well.
However, before considering the traditional family extinguished, it is important to highlight that the idea might be a bit general. If we consider the fact that the majority of people around the world are heterosexual, willing to marry and to form traditional families, due to the traditional customs of certain cultures and countries, we might acknowledge that the idea of the typical
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Well, the traditional family structure will always be present in society. So, there is no need for overreacting. Society’s change of opinion on both divorce and remarriage have changed and, in a way, matured, for some of us have understand to tolerate and respect other’s decisions. In addition, as rising a child on your own is a though task to do, there is an important number of single parents that look for a partner with -more or less- the same lifestyle; and that is how blended families come to be. According to Karney, Garvan and Thomas (Karney, Garvan, & Thomas, 2003), almost a half (40%) of married couples living in the United States are step couples. Moreover, one-third of weddings in America form stepfamilies. The so called “extinction” of the ideal traditional family structure is reflected on those figures since they mirror the reality society lives nowadays. So, from divorce to remarriage, these new customs adopted by society have become accepted and legally acknowledged as well, affecting the idealistic believe older people have on this …show more content…
Nowadays, as a part of society (sadly not all) has become open minded about homosexuality, new legislation for same-sex marriage and adoption has been adopted all around the world. Fortunately, for the same sex-couples in the US adoption and marriage are legal nationwide since 2015. The recognition made -to those with different sexual orientation- on their human rights is a step further in the construction and developing of new family structures. Furthermore, as from October 2015, 486,000 same-sex couples were married in the US, that is, a 45% of all same-sex couples (according to: Gates, G. J., Brown, T. N. T. 2015. Marriage and Same-sex Couples after Obergefell. Los Angeles, CA: Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law.) This shows that the legislation in favor of homosexual couples triggered an escalation in same-sex marriage and helped in the situation of many same-sex couples who were unable to marry. In addition, as same-sex marriage is considered to be a controversial issue because it endangers and “affects” deep into the traditional beliefs and customs, there is a conservative part of society that opposes it. So, these facts all together show ho untraditional families are gaining importance in today’s society. Is not that the values are lost and extinct, but that the concept for the traditional family is definitely not the same as it was
Jean Bethke Elshtain presents a critical perspective about the deteriorating state of the family in contemporary society in her article, “Society's Well-Being Depends upon the Traditional Family”. By employing rhetorical strategies of ethos, logos, and pathos, the author constructs a persuasive case that calls for renewed focus on the family as the fundamental unit of society. Elshtain builds her argument through a combination of rhetorical strategies, including the use of ethos, logos, and pathos. Each of these elements contributes to her overall argument and the extent to which her rhetoric succeeds in convincing readers of the urgency in addressing the challenges faced by the family unit.
Corvino’s essay “Homosexuality and the PIB Argument” elaborates on the disagreements between certain parties, such as natural law lawyers and other philosophers, pertaining to homosexuality and the notion that allowing same sex marriage will permit others to practice polygamy, incest, and bestiality (PIB). Corvino insists that when looking upon this argument, one will need to recognize and comprehend all sides of the dispute and thus be able to scrutinize such arguments proficiently. Through the process of analyzing all sides of this notorious disagreement, Corvino hopes to clarify and refute homosexuality and the PIB argument as well as give his own analysis and position on the subject (3). Corvino begins his debate by explaining the PIB
Today we ask ourselves, what defines a family? Will we ever be able to pinpoint one exact answer? Meanings and explanations of our past have been rightfully challenged. The family structures and dynamics that we see today have evolved great lengths from what they once were in the 1950’s. The 1950’s consisted of “standard” families.
When debating the legalization of same sex marriage, religious reasoning and accusations of bigotry often provoke obstinance. Instead of reiterating those arguments, William J. Bennett, a prominent cultural conservative, former secretary of education, and author of The Book of Virtues, focuses on societal effects in his op-ed article, “Against Gay Marriage.” Though Bennett’s piece conveys partiality, it also attempts to discuss this issue scrupulously to ensure readers will consider his argument and perhaps accept his implications. While some of Bennett’s word choices convey tolerance of the gay community, his rhetoric incites readers to accept that preserving society requires marginalizing homosexuals.
Gonzalez defines a blended family as “a family in which a new spousal relationship is formed (either as a result of a divorce or death of one parent), resulting in the joining of either one or both parents’ child or children” (148). This article discusses the topic based on the most common type of blended family, which is a remarried family. Approximately 50% of all Americans have some kind of step-relationship. Being a part of a blended family has become more common as well as the significant issues related to family adjustment and maintenance of them. In the majority of instances, blended families start with little awareness of what to expect.
According to David Newton in “Same-Sex Marriage: Overview”, up until 1990, the controversy on same-sex marriage hardly existed, as people automatically shunned the idea. Marriage was between a man and a woman- that was all people knew, and all they wanted to know. However, in 1990, for the first time, 3 same-sex couples sued the state of Hawaii, hoping to gain the right of marriage. Instead, they received an amendment to Hawaii’s constitution banning same-sex marriage- the state’s quick, easy answer to the couples.
In spite of the fact that both authors disagree on what gay marriage would do to society, they both bring up the topic. It could be reasoned that both authors find the significance of societal effects advantageous to their
Actually, even if we are inclined to consider traditional values as reduced to the family values, some dramatic changes over the past decades lead us to conclude that the family itself as an institution is not built over unshakable fundaments. If we take into account, for exemplifying purposes, the new types of family structures, as cohabitation, gay marriage and single parents, "bonus children" and "bonus parents", it is easily perceived that the family looks different from what it used to do. All this invites us to think again about our long-established or inherited concepts. As we lose all fixed reference, we are obliged to become awake and conscious to exercise any
In a recent surveys it is shown that over 27% of children in America are being raised by single parents, and over 2 million children are raised by homosexual couples. The old average image of a middle class white family with two parents, and a stable environment is no longer the normal or highly viewed social standing. Various movies, television shows, books, and other forms of literature depict families of different background and standings. For example, in the popular television show Modern Family depicts two gay men raising their adopted daughter and a blended family, the people on the show are always caring for and show constant love for their children. Even though they are not under normal circumstances the children of these different families are growing up in a loving and stable environment.
In comparison to how far people’s perception of families has evolved, gender roles within a family have essentially become nonexistent and nothing more than an old custom in most
The family preforms essential tasks that contribute to societies basic needs and helps to maintain social order (Giddens, 2009). Different societies have rules regarding who can marry who but the majority apply the incest taboo (a cultural norm forbidding sexual relations or marriage between particular relatives). Reproduction between close relatives could have negative effects of mental and physical health of offspring but Macionis and Plummer highlight the social reasons for the existence of this taboo. It minimises sexual rivalry within families by confining sexual relations to spouses. It forces people to form broader alliances by forcing people to marry outside their immediate families.
Joey Cho Mrs. Middleton English 10 17 October 2016 Persuasive Research Essay Outline Introduction LGBT/ same-sex marriage is one of the most heated and controversial debates in our current society. Unlike the past thousands of years whereas marriage was defined as a legal union between a man and a woman, now the concept of marriage has been extended to a broader context. “Homosexuality” in most cultures is viewed as a disgrace, and it is often considered as a great sin from a religious aspect.
Marriage is an important institution in a society and although there have been changes in the trend of marriage pattern, it is still very clear that marriage still matters. Marriage exists and its main aim is to bring two people together to form a union, where a man and a woman leave their families and join together to become one where they often start their own family. Sociologists are mostly interested in the relationship between marriage and family as they form the key structures in a society. The key interest on the correlation between marriage and family is because marriages are historically regarded as the institutions that create a family while families are on the other hand the very basic unit upon which our societies are founded on.
American Families Today The American family has undergone many changes since the 1900’s. More so, in the past 40 years, the nuclear family seen dramatic changes and has been described as deteriorating. There has been a dramatic rise in divorce, single parent households and child poverty. Studies have shown that children growing up in poverty-stricken single parent households are more likely to be affected well into adulthood. While this is the case, people are also living longer, and families are accommodating this change by living with relatives allowing for more bonding time then in previous generations.
The article’s purpose is to pinpoint specific cultural traits that cause problems in modern relationships. It dives into the history of marriage to illustrate that our modern views on marriage and love are new and specific to the twentieth century. Cultural shifts in our individualistic tendencies are responsible for some of the problems marriages face today. The article poses the underlying idea that perhaps society’s individualistic nature is too self-centered to the point that we push out other’s needs, feelings, and happiness. 4.