Family Diversity: Social Class, Ethnicity & Sexuality

Explanation:

• Working Class / Poverty Stricken families are more likely to be disadvantaged in family diversity as they can't afford to bring up children effectively.
• This is due to lack of resources such as income, housing and access to leisure activities.
• More likely to have inefficient socialisation even if in nuclear setting.

Evaluation:

• Class is irrelevant when looking at family diversity when ideas such as social mobility exist - can better themselves.
• Also most parents in poverty are resilliant and have strong coping skils so will effectively bring up their children in the best way possible.

Explanation:

• Middle class parents are able to provide a range of resources to support children especially in skill development and education.
• This support helps middle class families progress further and not be hindered with stigma and negative attitudes toward their children.

Evaluation:

• Isn't true for working class and the middle class is only a minority.
• Working class parents are reluctant to have children diagonised and provide proper resources due to limitations in fianances.

Explanation:

• Diversity has improved for these family types as these households are apart of freedom of choice and they don't need to follow norms.
• Can negotiate the family and roles which eliminates traditional ideas of separate roles and the nuclear family.
• Also avoids exploitation of a relationship in terms

Evaluation:

• Although diversity has occured, these family types aren't as popular compared to the likes of a nuclear family e.g. only 69,000 copuples are in the same sex setting.
• Some individuals still don't believe in same sex relationships showing that acceptance isn't fully happening. 

Explanations:

• In many Afro/Caribbean households, the nuclear family is the norm but there is also a strong influence from mother centred families which are often lone parent headed by women.
• This tradition is often seen influenced in UK households with higher rates of lone parents in this ethncitity which reflects the female independance tradition.

Evaluation:

• These statistics can be misleading because many are actually extended families as the older brothers and sisters within the family often support the lone mother.
• Also, many lone mothers will find a partner who acts as the traditional male role model.

Explanation:

• Asian families are focused around traditional ideas on gender and family diversity but with a preferance for large multi-generational households based around a man and his sons.
• Traditional gender roles with men being the main wage earners and women focused on work in the doemstic sphere.

Evaluation:

• Now a focus towards more nuclear families rather than extended families plus Asian families are now looking for less restrictions of choice of marriage partners.
• Also, evidence for other family types in Asian family times such as lone parent.