Diversity in U.S. Families

Write down your definition of the stereotypical family.

• Working dad• Stay-at-home mom• 2 or 3 children

Only 10% of all households Only 10% of all households are in this family form.are in this family form.

The American Family

• There is no such thing as the American Family, family life varies widely throughout the U.S.

• Just as above, there is no such thing as the African American Family or Asian American Family. – The primary distinction is between social

class.

Upper-class African American Families • Upper-class African American families are

concerned with preserving their privilege and wealth.

• Since marriage is viewed as a merger of family lines, upper-class African-American families are especially anxious about the family background of their children’s prospective mates.

• Children marry later than children of other classes.Middle-class African American Families• Focus on achievement and respectability

– Pushing children to go to college, get good jobs, and marry educated, respectable, and hardworking people like themselves.

African-American families in Poverty

• Face all the problems that are generally associated with poverty. – With few skills and not enough good jobs, many of the

men have a difficult time fulfilling the cultural roles of husbands and fathers.

– African-American women, on the other hand, are faced with a marriage squeeze:

• an imbalance in the sex ratio created, in this instance, by not enough eligible African Americans men for the numbers of unmarried African American women.

– As a result, African American families are the least likely to be headed by a married couple, and African American women are more likely than other racial-ethnic groups to marry men who are less educated then themselves.

Social Class Factors: Latino Families

• The proportion of Latino families headed by married couples falls between that of whites and African-Americans

• Proportions differ by country of origin.– Latino families from Cuba are more likely to be

headed by a married couple than families from Puerto Rico

• Major difference between Latino families and other racial-ethnic families is culture– Spanish language– Roman Catholic religion – Strong family orientation with disapproval of

divorce

Machismo

• An emphasis on male strength and dominance

• The husband-father plays a stronger role than in either white or African American families

• Machismo apparently decreases with each generation in the U.S.

Asian American Families

• Almost identical to that of white families• Because Asian Americans come form twenty different

countries, their family lives vary, reflecting their many cultures.

• As with Latino families, the more recent their immigration, the closer families reflects country of origin.

• Although adopted the nuclear family, also retain Confucian values that provide a distinct framework for family life: – Including humanism– Collectivity– Self –discipline– Respect for the elderly– Obligation

• Parenting: more permissive than whites in child rearing and more likely to use shame and guilt than physical punishment to control children’s behavior.

Native American Families

• Most significant issue is whether to adhere to traditional values– Speaking Native languages

– Emphasizing distinctive Native American values and beliefs

– To assimilate into the dominant white culture

• Structure closely resemble Latino families• Parenting: permissive with children and avoid

physical punishment. Elders play a much more active role in children.

Figure 16.4 Family Structure: The Percentage of U.S. Households Headed by Men, Women, and Married Couples

Source: By the author. Based on Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract Statistical Abstract 2000: Table 44; 2002: Tables 37, 38, 40.2000: Table 44; 2002: Tables 37, 38, 40.

One Parent Families

• Have become a matter of general concern in U.S. • Percent of children living with both parents dropping

from 85% in 1970 to 69% today.• Two primary reasons:

– High divorce rate– Increase in births to unmarried women

• Most head by women, most poor• Children are more likely to:

– Drop out of school– Get arrested– Have emotional problems– Get divorced– If female, more likely to have children as unmarried teens

Figure 16.5 The Decline of Two-Parent Families

Source: By the author. Based on Source: By the author. Based on Statistical Abstract Statistical Abstract 1995: Table 79; 2002; Table 54. *author’s estimate1995: Table 79; 2002; Table 54. *author’s estimate

Gay and Lesbian Families

• In 2000, the state of Vermont became the first state to legalize “gay unions”, joining a number of European countries that have made same-sex marriages legal.

• Gay and lesbian families in the U.S. are highly urban, with about half of them concentrated in just 20 cities.

– The cities with the greatest concentration of gay families are San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, New York City, and Washington D.C.

– About one fifth of gay and lesbian couples were previously married to heterosexuals.

– 22% of lesbian couples and 5% of gay couples have children.• Same-sex couples face many of the same problems as

heterosexual couples:

– Housework– Money– Careers– Problems with relatives

• Are more likely to break up, however, and one argument for legalizing gay marriages is that it would lead to longer-lasting relationships.

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/03/14/updated-map-of-legal-status-of-same-sex-marriage/

Families Living in Poverty

• http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7389750n

• http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358670n