Gender Class and Sexuality Shape Reading Essay

 

 

Choose one of these reading prompts to respond to (there are multiple parts to each reading prompt, you must answer all parts). • Essays: must be a minimum of 450 words (which is about 1 ½ pages double-spaced in Times New Roman)

Topics: Marriage and Divorce, Parents and Children

Read: Families As They Really Are, 2nd edition

Editors: Risman & Rutter

Publisher: W. W. Norton ( Risman Chapters 20 & In the News – Koontz, CCF Brief – Williams, 21, 22, 25, 27, In the News – Wall & Davis)

1. Coleman and Ganong begin with images of the Brady Bunch and Cinderella. What is the inaccuracy, from their view, with each of these cultural references? In what way do these inaccurate images motivate their research? What are pieces of advice that you can pick out from the authors’ review of “what we’ve learned from step-family research”?

2. Garcia identifies three major themes in her discussion of family work and identity formation. What are these themes, and what are some of the examples that she provides to illustrate these themes? Garcia concludes with a discussion of how we often use culture as a way of explaining the attitudes, behaviors, and at times even the outcomes of Latina/o families. Why is it problematic to only use culture to construct an understanding of Latina/o families? What other factors also need to be considered?

3. How do doctors explain intersex traits to parents? Davis argues that medical professionals construct an emergency through this discussion. What does this mean? Do intersex traits warrant an emergency? Wall and Davis are critical of the way in which Fox News addresses those with intersex traits. Based on this reading, why should Fox News care about the intersex community and how individuals with intersex traits are portrayed in the media?