Changes in Definition of Family

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Introduction

The progressive social and cultural organization has led to changes in the structure and concept. A family is the backbone of any society, and therefore, it is a societys basic structure. The traditional definition of a family, the basic structure of a community, is too narrow to give modern families their wholesome purpose. Social factors such as divorce, intermarriages, and re-marriages have led to the change of family definition. Furthermore, while traditionally a family comprises members with blood-relations, modern families constitute members without blood relations. Step-families, blended families, and adopted family members lack blood relations with their family members. The law has also come in forming a family, and it does not restrict divorce, re-marriages, and children adoption. Therefore, the family definition has changed over time due to social factors such as re-marriages, inter-marriages, divorces, and adoption of other members into the family.

Traditional Families

Blood relation is a common feature among traditional family members. A traditional family consists of a man, a woman, and their biological children, also referred to as a nuclear family (Wanting, 2021). Further, traditional families consist of extended members such as uncles, aunts, and others. Adopted children are also part of a conventional family, though not related by blood. However, blood relation was a common feature of a traditional family. An extended family consists of more than one nuclear family related by blood. Uncles, aunts, cousins, grandparents, and other blood relatives form an extended family. Traditional family members are related by blood except for adopted members.

Same-family members marriages were restricted among societies with strict moral codes. Therefore, there was no family formation between members from the same family. Furthermore, some communities had strict rules against divorce, which would result in severe consequences (Caroll, 2021). Therefore, divorce was uncommon in traditional marriages resulting in less dissolved families. As society shifts towards social issues such as equality and freedom of expression, many modern families have come up.

Modern Families

Factors such as civilization, urbanization, and laws suiting existing society have led to the rise of modern families. Many laws, including international humanitarian laws, allow freedom of expression and other human rights. Consequently, many couples have divorced marriages that encumber their enjoyment of such rights. The courts have been at the frontline in supporting divorce cases backed up with inequality during the marriage. Furthermore, many countries have enacted laws allowing homosexuality and freedom of sexual expression. There is a rise in the number of same sex-marriages. Adoption of children has led to the formation of children homes, which recognize themselves as families. Divorce and the dynamic laws have led to the formation of modern families.

Divorce and Modern Families Formation

Divorce involves a legal marriage dissolution presiding over a court or any competent body. Divorces result from various factors such as lack of commitment, extramarital affairs, substance abuse, domestic abuse, among others. Furthermore, urbanization has necessitated divorce cases due to distance between couples. The consequences of divorce include the formation of new types of families. Divorced couples may decide, after divorce, to either get married or stay single. Reconstituted and single-parent families are a result of divorce among couples.

Reconstituted Families

Divorced couples may decide to enter another marriage and move to a new union with their children. Reconstituted families are formed when newly married individuals carry their children to the new marriage (Goss, 2019). Reconstituted families are also referred to as blended families or stepfamilies. The majority of American families have shifted from their original marriages to new marriages. Over fifty percent of the American families are either remarried or re-coupled (The Stepfamily Foundation Inc., n.d). The formation of blended families shifts the traditional definition of a family since it involves children who may not be biological to married couples.

Single-Parent Families

Some couples opt to stay single after divorce and raise their children. A family headed by one divorced parent is called a sing-parent family. The family can also result from extramarital affairs among unmarried couples. In 2020, about 15 million children lived with a single mother, while about 3.3 million children lived with a single father (Shipe, Ayer and Guastaferro, 2022). In the traditional nuclear families, which had both parents, a single-parent is overwhelmed with taking all the family responsibilities. However, the courts have intervened in a divorce, and often the duties would be equitably shared among the divorcing couples. Unlike the traditional nuclear family definition, a single-parent family negates one parents presence.

Homosexuality Families Formation

Homosexualism was considered a moral issue in the past, but recent research indicates that sexual orientation is caused by complex genetic interplay environmental and hormonal influences. Many societies and religions reject same-sex relationships and advocate legislation banning such relationships. For instance, Ghana voted for legislation restricting gay and transgender people from same-sex marriages. The legislation punished the crime with a five-year sentence (Jjuuko and Tabengwa, 2018). Despite the restrictions against same-sex relationships in various countries, countries like the United States have laws generous to homosexuals. Consequently, homosexuals can get married and form families in the United States. The same-sex family definition does not include biological children and is difficult to distinguish between a wife and husband in such marriage.

Problems of Modern Families

The dynamic shift in definition and concept of family, over time, has led to problems affecting the family members. Since the traditional family identifies a family composed of parents with their biological parents, modern families have been stigmatized. Some societies are scornful against same-sex, step-parents, and single-parent families. Therefore, many modern families lack happiness and free interaction, which are family formation. Furthermore, stepfamilies have been subject to violence leading to psychological disorders among children and other family members. Some single-parents are overwhelmed with their families financial needs if their divorced partners are not responsible. As the definition of a family changes over time, social and physical problems are associated with the changes.

Conclusion

While a family is described as parents and their biological children, the changing societal interactions have changed the definition. Civilization has led to new interactions and new social problems such as divorce. Divorce results in disagreement between the married couple and are presided over in a court of law. Divorced couples may decide to remit, leading to blended and step-parent families. The couples may also choose to remain single, leading to single-parent families. Same-sex relationships are permitted in various countries leading to the formation of similar-sex families. The dynamic family concept has led to social problems such as violence, financial burdens, family dissolutions, and psychological disorders. Defining a family is an arduous task, given the changing perceptions on family formation and family members.

References

Carroll, M.M., 2021. SIX. Iniquitous Partners. In Homesteads Ungovernable (pp. 133-162). University of Texas Press. Web.

Goss, R.E., 2019. Queering procreative privilege: Coming out as families. In Our Families, Our Values (pp. 3-20). Routledge.

Jjuuko, A. and Tabengwa, M., 2018. Expanded criminalisation of consensual same-sex relations in Africa: contextualising recent developments. Envisioning global LGBT human rights:(Neo) colonialism, neoliberalism, resistance and hope, pp.63-96. Web.

Shipe, S.L., Ayer, L. and Guastaferro, K., 2022. American Single Father Homes: A Growing Public Health Priority. American journal of public health, 112(1), pp.21-23. Web.

The Stepfamily Foundation Inc. (n.d.). Stepfamily Statistics. Web.

Wanting, S.H.I., 2021. Characteristics of Time-space Utilization and Its Gender Differences in Traditional Family Model: A Case Study of Stem Family and Nuclear Family. Journal of Landscape Research, 13(4).

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