Changing American Families Essay Example

Families have long been the staple of American society. Families have changed drastically over the years. A generation ago, families were patriarchal with the dad making money to support the family and the wife staying at home with the children. This structure was not only sexist, it was discriminatory to women. As our society has placed more emphasis on individual rights, the family structure now is reflecting new social norms with the movement of LGBTQ rights, changes in economics, and culture. 

Even since I was born, acceptance of varying family structures has become more progressive. Families are no longer structured with mom, dad, and two children. They now can be two dads or two moms with children. There can be mixed families. With the LGBTQ movement, families can include transgender parents with children and non-binary parents.

Economics has also impacted families. With the middle-class disappearing, often both parents have to work to support their family. Family size has also dropped because of economic needs. Less time is spent together as a family, and more individual time is given with less quality time as a family together, which depends on the family, and leads them to be more distant than before.

Since our society has developed dramatically over the past 30 to 40 years, new cultural norms have been set. For one, families can connect due to the introduction of mobile telephones. For example, college kids don’t have time to see their parents, especially if they are across the country for their studies, now they just have to make a call and they can catch up. The introduction of more advanced technology has also changed since people spend up to 3-5 hours a day online, which can take away quality family time that they would have had back then. Culturally divorce has become more common and more single parents have arrived since the 70s. This is because women can provide for themselves more as well as being a single parent, and it isn't as frowned upon in today's generation so now parents don’t have to stay together “for the kids”. 

Being a part of a family today is very different from a generation ago. With more progressive families, such as two dads, two moms, and even transgender parents. Economics leads to both parents being employed, and less family time spent. Finally, the difference in cultures with the rise of technology and the accessibility of communication, and the time spent on this technology instead of together as a family.