Verified Document

Non-Traditional Families The Two Scholarly Reaction Paper

She also emphasizes the fact that "…the pervasiveness of social prejudice and institutionalized discrimination against lesbians and gay men" presents a powerful influence in psychological research (160). The attack on gay and lesbian parenting research is amazingly similar to the attack on climate change by the right wing (conservatives say the scientific research is biased); and it is similar to attacks on laws prohibiting lead bullets in California Condor habitat (the NRA insists the research is biased against gun owners). The pattern is clear: if a group or political party disagrees with a policy, then they attack the research as biased. Females Raised in a Single-Parent Family: is there a Risk of Early Pregnancy?

Meantime, Lawrence Wu and Brian Martinson have conducted empirically-based research in a seemingly honest, forthright way to reach some kind of consensus on what happens in a girl's childhood and upbringing that causes her to become pregnant out of wedlock. This takes on the tired "teen pregnancy" debate but includes a great deal of math and careful digging into research that existed at the time of publication, 18 years ago. Instead of asking whether a set of gay parents (or lesbian parents) are good for children, Wu and colleague search for answers to statements like "…Family researchers have argued that two-parent families exercise greater supervision and control than do single-parent families" and hence, a daughter in a two-parent family is less apt to stray from family morals and get pregnant prior to marriage (Wu, et al., 1993, p. 212). However, this viewpoint -- from the "social control hypothesis" -- assumes that adolescence is such a "trouble-prone period" in the lives of youth it takes two parents to keep kids out of trouble (Wu, 212).

After doing an impressive amount of research, the authors admit (213) that "The empirical evidence is largely indirect" and that "particularly little" is really known "about the long-term consequences" of family instability. But they go on to embrace data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) to provide a "probability sample" of what might cause a young woman to get pregnant out of wedlock. From the NSFH data, they studied 3,372 white...

Moreover, for white women raised by two parents, 2% got pregnant prior to 18 years; for blacks it was 25%; Hispanics, 13% (Wu, 224). What does this mean? Actually until a similar study is done in 2012, and the numbers are compared, these are data from 18 years ago that may not hold true or be valid today.
The interesting aspects of this peer-reviewed article are the many interesting hypotheses backed with later data. For example: a) children raised in "chronic instability" are at risk of "problem behaviors"; this would seem to be very obvious and predictable; and b) a premarital birth may reflect a "rational response" by a young woman to an unstable family; she escapes from the "undesirable family" by creating a family of her own (this is sad, and the women's life is unlikely to be smooth, but this makes sense as an explanation for teen pregnancy).

In conclusion, so much has changed in the years since these articles have been published, and yet so much remains the same. Teenage girls still get pregnant and researchers continue to study the background into those issues, albeit teen pregnancy has faded from view as a topic of discussion at the national level. As for the sexual orientation of parents, six states now allow legal same-sex marriages plus the District of Columbia, and clearly public opinion shows that Americans are becoming more tolerant of the idea, and less harsh on gay and lesbian parenting. Gallop Polling in May, 2011, shows that "…a majority of Americans (53%) believe same-sex marriage should be recognized by the law as valid" (Gallop, 2011). That is not to say that the public believes gays and lesbians can raise children with the same values as heterosexual parents, but clearly the change in attitudes can be seen and documented in the U.S.

Works Cited

Newport, Frank. "For the First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage."

Gallup, (2011): 1-4.

Stacey, Judith, and Biblarz, Timothy J. "(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter?"

American Sociological Review, 66.2 (2001):…

Sources used in this document:
Works Cited

Newport, Frank. "For the First Time, Majority of Americans Favor Legal Gay Marriage."

Gallup, (2011): 1-4.

Stacey, Judith, and Biblarz, Timothy J. "(How) Does the Sexual Orientation of Parents Matter?"

American Sociological Review, 66.2 (2001): 159-183.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Non-Traditional Students in the 1980s
Words: 4998 Length: 16 Document Type: Literature Review

Pantages and Creedon (1978) have reported that the greatest attrition rate occurs among first-year students, and this group is not very likely to return to college at a later date. Even if they do drop out, the longer a student persists in a university or college setting the more likely it is that they will perceive attaining a degree as beneficial (Tinto, 1975). Additionally, retention studies have emphasized that

Sociology and the Family Specific
Words: 1775 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

If the parents are loving and supportive, their own unit will probably remain intact and even grow stronger. Outside forces could create many sociological impacts on the family, from censure to even loss of careers. In addition, the altering of values inside the family may pave the way for sociological change in the family members in the future. As sociologist Noble states, "Today most people continue to spend most

Family and Education in Frankenstein
Words: 2250 Length: 8 Document Type: Research Paper

People generally focus on appearance when coming across a particular individual. This is perfectly exemplified by the meeting between the old member of the De Lacey family and the monster. The man initially welcomes the creature, as he is no longer able to see and is unacquainted with the monster's facial features and body. Victor Frankenstein can be considered to contrast the monster through his behavior, his background, and because

Family Ecology the Family Is
Words: 2218 Length: 8 Document Type: Term Paper

It also varies with urban or rural residence. Urban households commonly earn more and enjoy a higher standard of living than rural households. The allocation for food spending corresponds to the biggest part of the family budget. However, as family income increases, the share in food in consumption expenses generally drops. This is most likely because of the popularity of "fast foods" nowadays. Socialization Process The process of socialization takes a

Traditional Folk or Fairy Tale
Words: 896 Length: 3 Document Type: Term Paper

" Despite their differences, these versions do also have aspects in common. In each tale, it is true love which saves Sleeping Beauty from her slumber. After she is revived, she marries her prince charming and lives "happily ever after." All three versions also tell of Sleeping Beauty as the long awaited only child of a loving king. In the "Sun, Moon, and Talia" as well as the Walt Disney version,

American Families and the Nostalgia
Words: 2864 Length: 10 Document Type: Term Paper

Families these days are "in crisis" because all of us have lost a lot of values that used to keep a family together (Kim, 2000). In addition, Coontz very analytically eliminated all the myths about what families used to be, how & what they are in the current time, and what they should be (Kim, 2000). However, as a reader one might notice just little discrepancy in her dispute and

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now