A Battle Fought Alone: The Stigmatization of Single Mothers

Introduction

In single-mother households, the family structure becomes matrifocal as the mother becomes head of the family and the father plays a less critical role. Despite the heavy responsibilities of single parenting, many single mothers are cast out from their communities due to unfavourable cultural stigmas such as the misinformed belief that they are bad mothers, poor, uneducated, and sexually promiscuous (Worell, 1986). These negative perceptions have followed single mothers throughout history and into modern society despite broadening progressive ideologies in the 21st century (Carroll, 2019). Single mothers make up a large social group in contemporary society, yet social influences still adversely affect them (Rich Morin, 2011).

There are many negative perceptions regarding single mothers within modern society. The Pew Research Centre references early television shows such as Teen Mom as being one source of the stigma (Rich Morin, 2011). One reason stigma is attached to single-parent families is because they offer an alternative family structure outside societal norms. It is a widely held belief that stigma is laden with cultural, moral and religious tones (Dowd, 1997). The initial source of these negative perceptions is undetermined, but they still affect the parents of one in four children; 75% of those parents have reported experiencing stigmatization to some degree (Carroll, 2019).

Discussion

In the context of single motherhood, stigmas are broad dimensions of negative evaluation and low-status assignment for all single mothers (Worell, 1986). The offence these women share is their violation of both social and sexual gender norms, which labels them as deviant due to negatively perceived social characteristics (Shur, 1984). Social and cultural norms are rules or expectations of behavior and thoughts based on shared beliefs within a specific cultural or social group (Tomaszewski, 2018). In modern society, mothers are expected to be married and focused on children while men provide for them (Strochstein & Brym, 2019).

Canadian sociologist Erving Goffman traced the source of the word “stigma” to the Ancient Greeks, who defined it as bodily signs designed to expose something unusual and wrong about the moral status of the signifier (Goffman, 1963). Goffman defines stigma in contemporary language as “an illuminating excursion into the situation of persons who are unable to conform to standards that society calls normal” (Goffman, 1963). Stigma can be divided into three categories: morality, sex role violations, and victimization (Worrell, 1986). The stigmatization of single mothers creates a significant obstacle for a group that is already marginalized due to economic and societal factors. However, single mothers may experience varying levels of stigmatization.

The belief that two parents of opposite sexes are necessary for healthy and proper child development undermines potential support for single mothers (Dowd, 1997). Unlike single fathers, single mothers have been condemned for the absence of a man in the household and for any consequences that his absence might bring (Dowd, 1997). Due to patriarchal beliefs, many people in society view single mothers as deficient and inadequate. Mothers receive blame for the absence of a father figure, and it is presumed that due to their failure, their families are psychologically harmed and dysfunctional (Dowd, 1997). The discrepancy between treatment of single mothers and single fathers is primarily due to gender inequalities. The substantial inequality that exists between women and men is socially constructed and has existed for over 6000 years (Strochstein & Brym, 2019). The socially constructed inequalities between genders often cause women to be viewed as less capable than men, leaving single mothers susceptible to accusations of inadequate parenting (Skrypnek & Snyder, 1982). Single fathers also face negative perceptions, but experience far fewer culturally constructed obstacles than women (Strochstein & Brym, 2019).

For divorced women, non-custodial mothers receive an immense amount of negative evaluation compared to custodial mothers (Ambert, 1982). Society unconsciously categorizes single mothers in gradients of respectability depending on income, race, and their reason for becoming single mothers. Widowed single mothers usually receive sympathy, compassion, and understanding for their tragic situation, as it is beyond their control (Allers 2016). Similarly, divorcees also receive a level of social acceptance and empathy because they were once married and supported by patriarchal structures (Allers, 2016).

Women who elect to pursue single motherhood through adoption or reproductive technologies experience distinctive challenges and a lack of available resources when addressing the stigma of single motherhood. Some of these women engage in resistant agencies by electing to create families outside the bounds of heterosexual marriage, aiding in the legitimization of alternative forms of family (Wiegers, 2019). Single motherhood by choice allows women to take on both parental roles, undermining the patriarchy (Hall et al., 1995). However, this increased responsibility and social divergence often results in its own struggles: in a structured society, those who live outside the norms will endure judgment and lack support (Garner et al., 2013). In some cases, those who have chosen these paths of single motherhood draw distinctions between themselves and other stigmatized single mothers, thereby reproducing hierarchies of maternal worthiness that marginalize poor women (Wiegers, 2019).

A graduate study conducted through the University of Missouri asked students to define the characteristics of four types of mothers: married, stepmothers, divorced, and never married. The study found that students attributed characteristics such as forgiveness, warmth, and caring to married mothers. In contrast, the students attributed characteristics such as low- income and experience with failed marriage to single mothers (Ganong & Coleman, 1995). Researchers also noted that never- married single mothers were perceived as a threat toward the implementation of more restrictive and punitive policies by social service programs (Ganong & Coleman, 1995).

Single mothers with lower income and less education experience tremendous pressure and are exposed to stigmatization by society. An analysis was conducted based on qualitative interview data from two focus group discussions with the purpose of examining how the status of low-income single mothers led to social inequalities and stigmatization in a community. The analysis’ findings revealed that the perceived social inequality of low-income single mothers has led to the stigmatization of this particular group (Rusyda et al., 2011). This study supports the hypothesis that single mothers face stigma due to societal expectations.

A study by the Battered Women’s Support Services concludes that unmarried mothers are often seen as sexually promiscuous, uneducated, and resented by their children (Hicks, 2012). These conclusions, specifically relating to single mothers who have never married, may be attributable to the prevalence of these stereotypes throughout society. There is no evidence to suggest that these stereotypes are based on truth. However, continue to spread throughout Western culture.

Children growing up in single mother households are thought to fare worse than those in single father households or those in nuclear families. For example, children growing up without a father in the home are more than twice as likely to end up in jail. Youth raised by a single mother are also at higher risk for substance abuse, as children from single-parent families have lower self-esteem (Hicks, 2012). It is common for people to believe that single-mother parenting results in an increase in drop-out rates, poverty, and young premarital pregnancy (Morin & Pols, 2011). The former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, was quoted as describing the children of single mothers as “ill-mannered, ignorant, aggressive, and illegitimate” (Sharman, 2019). The children of single mothers likely face these adverse effects not from being raised by a single mother, but from being stigmatized by others and the media due to the cultural theory that a man and a woman are both necessary for a healthy family life. The demonization of single mothers’ parenting abilities likely traces back to gender inequalities found in society, creating the view that women by themselves are incapable of raising children on their own to be productive members of society (Morin & Pols, 2011). Women are assumed to be dependent on men for most procedures in life due to the cultural integration of gender inequality over thousands of years (Strochstein & Brym, 2019). Even so, one in five children are born in single parent households, most of which are headed by women whose children have no recorded consequences that relate directly to the fact they were raised by single mothers (Strochstein & Brym, 2019).

The Western myth that the male breadwinner and female homemaker make up the traditional nuclear family leads society to focus on mothers as being responsible for child wellbeing but incapable of financially supporting themselves and their children (Sear, 2021). The idea that the man of the family is the provider is a cultural theory that has no basis in science; this view often frames women as weaker and less capable of supporting a family. The idea of a hunter-and-gatherer family structure is due to social and political factors, not biology (Strochstein & Brym, 2019).

Despite the fact that this research from Strochstein and Brym (2019) demonstrates no basis for the stigma, these negative stereotypes continue. A Pew research poll asked 3000 Americans what they thought about the consequences of some of the more significant demographic trends that have reshaped the American family in the last thirty to forty years. Some of the demographics that the poll asked about were unmarried parents, gay parents, people who choose not to have children at all, and single parents (Morin, 2011). The poll found that almost 70% of participants believe that single women raising children is bad for society (Morin, 2011).

The Pew Research poll captured the sharp divisions that exist in this society when it comes to beliefs about new family structures. The negative view of single mothers expressed by Americans within the poll is due to the oppressive connotations associated with single motherhood. The study found that Americans do not associate single mothers with enough financial or social security to provide their children with a safe home, nor do they think that having children is a responsible or intentional decision for a single mother to make (Morin, 2011). When thinking about single mothers, Americans think of a woman who was abandoned by her husband and cannot devote enough time to her children because she needs to make a living (Morin, 2011).

Conclusion

Single mothers are faced with intense stigmatization from modern society. There are many factors which contribute to this stigmatization, such as cultural perceptions, media perceptions, sexist connotations, and patriarchal ideologies. Not only are single mothers deeply stigmatized, but they often have to deal with that stigma while also being at an economic disadvantage. In addition, the children of single mothers face stigmas due to misconceptions associated with single mothers’ parenting tactics. Single mothers reshape the family structures expected by patriarchal society, and so they face cultural pushback for going against social norms. The research shows that these stigmas still persist today, despite the lack of evidence to prove that the negative stereotypes are based in reality. Because these stereotypes are socially constructed and stem from sexist patriarchal values, individuals must work to reconstruct those previously misinformed values and share new cultural narratives in order to improve support for single mothers. Members of society can actively combat the stigma by informing themselves and educating others so that single mothers no longer have to fight the battle alone.

References

Allers, K. S. (2016, June 10). There’s a single-mother hierarchy, and it needs to stop. The Washington Post.

Ambert, A. (1982). Differences in Children’s Behavior toward Custodial Mothers and Custodial Fathers. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 730-736.

Carroll, D. N. (2019, December). Why do single parents still suffer stigma? University of Huddersfield- Inspiring Global Professionals.

Dowd, N. E. (1997). In Defense of Single-Parent Families. New York: New York University Press.

Ganong, L. H., & Coleman, M. (1995). The content of mother stereotypes. Sex Roles, 32(7), 495-512.

Garner, R., Ferdinand, P., & Lawson, S. (2013). Introduction to Politics, 2nd Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Goffman, E. (1963). Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity. New York: Simon & Schuster Inc.

Hall, L.D., Walker, A. J., & Acock, A. C. (1995). Gender and Family Work in One-Parent Households. Journal of Marriage and Family, 57(3), 685-692.

Hicks, M. (2012, September 14). The Single Mother Battle on Stereotypes. Battered Women’s Support Services. https://www.bwss.org/the-single-mother-battle- on-stereotypes/