July 17, 2014

            Brooke Pischke’s blog revealed information about the effects stereotypes of being in a single parent family have on society that I previously had no knowledge of (Kurylo). I never looked at people differently just because they were a part of a single parent family, but now I am more aware as to why such people can be viewed through a negative scope in society. Although I was not a part of a single parent household growing up I can imagine various perceptual biases a person from a single parent family has experienced. It is reasonable to assume that such a person was viewed as being emotionally damaged or psychologically weak due to the fact that they came from a “broken home.” People may have thought that person had bad grades, was vulnerable to peer pressure, and took part in underage drug abuse or sexual activity as a result of their “unstable” household. People with no knowledge of the situation may have believed that such a family struggled financially and couldn’t afford the things a “stable” family with two parents could.

            Personally, I don’t perceive that single parent families are an oppressed group like the blog suggests. This is because I’ve had friends come from single parent households who never associated themselves with oppression in any way, and I haven’t found any evidence, “facts, expert opinions, and personal narratives that support the truth of your reason,” to convince me otherwise (Verderber & Verderber 334). I didn’t know they were a part of a single parent household until I met their parent because they didn’t act in the reckless ways society expected them to. I’ve never seen such families with less power or at a greater disadvantage first-hand, so it is hard for me to classify them as an oppressed group. But as is the case with so many things, every person’s opinion varies to some degree because we all go through different experiences in life. So even though I don’t view single parent households as an oppressed group, I’m sure many people do. In order for single parent families to become an in-group they must viewed as an equal to nuclear families (Kurylo). Once all of the negative stereotypes about single parent families have been eradicated from society equality between the two groups can be achieved. Society must come to an understanding that people from single parent families have the same chance for success, failure, and happiness as people from nuclear families. Single parent families will no longer be an out-group when people comprehend that what each person becomes is purely dependent on how they chose to act and live. Brooke Pischke said it best when she explained, “A single parent family is simply a difference in family dynamic and nothing more” (Kurylo).

Works Cited

Kurylo, Anastacia. “Single Parent Families and Stereotypes.” The Communicated Stereotype.    The Communicated Stereotype, 11 April 2012. Web. 17 July 2014.

Verderber, Kathleen S. & Rudolph F. Verderber. Inter-Act: Interpersonal Communication Concepts, Skills, and Contexts. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013. Print.