The first area to explore is the rise of"alternative" family structures Elsa Peretti Teardrop necklace the broadening of a traditionalperception of family made up exclusively of a mom and dad and theirbiological offspring. Over the past 50 years, feminism broughtsweeping changes, particularly for women in western countries, andthe civil rights movement heralded an era of multiculturalism,interracial couples, and transracial adoption. Modern technologieshave brought greater access to information and globalcommunication, as well as Elsa Peretti Open Heart necklace in reproductive technology.
Multiracial families, adoptive families,families formed through the use of reproductive medicine, includingdonor insemination, surrogacy, and in vitro fertilization, andfamilies headed by same-sex couples represent the emergence of newfamily forms which defy heteronormative assumptions. There is alsopotentially greater overlap of Heart tag charm necklace burgeoning families, forexample lesbian- and gay male-headed families may embody a largerdemographic of multicultural families, due to both interracialunions and transracial adoptions (Goldberg, 2010; Lev, 2004a), aswell as significant numbers of families formed utilizing assistedreproductive technologies (Ehrensaft, 2008; Lev, 2006; Pelka,2009).
As the form and structure of familieshave changed, members struggle to integrate shifting social normsregarding appropriate gender behavior in children. Parents andtherapists may be accepting when little boys rock their baby dollsto sleep, but may be more uncomfortable when little boys want towear baby-doll Elsa Peretti Open Heart Necklace to bed. Contemporary societal moresencourage girls to play soccer, but neighbors bristle if the samegirls want to wear a man's tailored suit to a family wedding. Forfamilies headed by parents of the same sex, gender may be anespecially salient area of exploration.
As Suzannah and Luz talk about Kyle theykeep contradicting themselves. Luz says, "I know that we haven'tdone anything to make Kyle this way, but maybe it's because he hasno father?" Suzannah says, "I just want him to be himself, butmaybe we shouldn't let him play with Barbies?" Suzannah and LuzBeads necklace trouble articulating their fears about what exactly is "wrong"with Kyle, or why they have come in seeking therapy. They prefacetheir words with qualifiers ("We don't care if he's gay," "We willlove him no matter who he is"), but in truth they are worried thatKyle is gay and that it might in some way be their fault. Theyworry about this even though they are very aware that growing upwith heterosexual parents did little to influence their ownemerging sexual orientation; even though it is not clear what therelationship is, if any, between playing with girls' toys and beinggay; even though their other children appear to have typical genderpresentations, and even though they really, really, really thinkit's okay to be gay. Really!
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