The cultural group that I am focusing on today, is the same
group that I will be focusing on for my project. Since I am a new Mother, I
wanted to be able to focus on something that is relatable to that since it is
perhaps my largest, and most important identity. I chose the group of Fathers
to look at, I am familiar and unfamiliar with the group all at once. I can
relate to many of the things that they experience but we both experience things
in a very different way. The culture of Father is set by the roles and views that have been set for genders.
The roles that men and women
currently play and have played in the past all have led to a certain standard
that is prevalent in today’s society. The men are to be the primary “breadwinners”
while women are thought to be better at raising children- a thought that is
often supported many states when it comes to custody battles. The Father’s
rights movement relates to history becoming histories because the roles that
have been set are now effecting today’s standards and have now sparked a
movement. This movement is focusing on
changing societal norms allowing for equal treatment for both mothers and
fathers.
The Fathers Rights Movement is a
movement that is promoting the role of Fathers within their children’s
lives. Although there are certain rights
that every Father is said to have legally, there is a prejudice that is seen
towards them. There has seemingly always been the standard that Women are the
ones who are to raise children. This view has grown and is now often supported
by the states who will give custody to the women instead of split/joint
custody. There are many cases where the Father would be the better caretaker
but is not granted rights simply because he is the Father and not the Mother. The fight for equal treatment is something that you assume would have been done with long ago, but unfortunately it is far from being over.
This movement has been going on since divorce became socially acceptable in the 1960's. The movement isn't really all that public here in the United States. In the US it mainly consists of non-profit groups offering legal support to Fathers. The goal of the movement is to give equal treatment to Father's when it comes to child support and custody. There is also legal help for Fathers when it comes to things such as slander and other problems that can arise over the course of a nasty divorce or break up. Rallies and such for this movement are more common in other places. The UK has a fairly strong following and will often dress in Super Hero gear and stage protests and pass out information.
http://www.academia.edu/2632812/Separated_Fathers_and_the_Fathers_Rights_Movement_2012_http://www.fathersrights.org/
https://fathers4kids.com/
http://www.mensdefense.org/MensMovement.htm
Hi Mikayla!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard of the Father's Rights Movement but I feel informed now after reading your blog post. You did a great job of highlighting all of the important points within the movement. It is interesting that people have the idea that only mother's must care for children. I believe that care should be given by both parents, if possible depending on circumstances. I wonder if this movement will be seen in the United States at all? Great job with your post!
Mikayla, I found this blog very interesting as I never really thought about fathers as a cultural group. Although, it is very obvious, I feel as if it is a group that we just pass by. I also had never heard of the Father's Rights Movement, you did a great job of highlighting all of the important points for me to feel like I could understand what it was all about. Great job!
ReplyDeleteRylee
Mikayla,
ReplyDeleteI think this is a fantastic topic. There is so much research and support groups for mothers (and rightly so) but I think father's are left out of the picture too much. Although it's a broad category, I bet you will find really interesting facts when studying this. Looking forward to hearing about it!
Great topic! I second the comments above about lack of awareness regarding an official Father's Rights movement. I love that the blog could fit within your bigger goals for the reporter project. Moving forward, make sure you explicitly address all of the questions in the blog prompt. While you covered the history of a cultural group, I did not see the connection to the implications of thinking about histories plural and what is the impact of making such a move.
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