[Applause] tradition is powerful the concept has
tradition is powerful the concept has
tradition is powerful the concept has clout when applied to forms a family
clout when applied to forms a family
clout when applied to forms a family building tradition verifies and vilifies
building tradition verifies and vilifies
building tradition verifies and vilifies but while most of us are familiar with
but while most of us are familiar with
but while most of us are familiar with traditional family forms our
traditional family forms our
traditional family forms our understanding of diversity in family
understanding of diversity in family
understanding of diversity in family life may be less well developed I’m part
life may be less well developed I’m part
life may be less well developed I’m part of a team of researchers led by
of a team of researchers led by
of a team of researchers led by Professor Susan Gollum Bock at the
Professor Susan Gollum Bock at the
Professor Susan Gollum Bock at the University of Cambridge is Center for
University of Cambridge is Center for
University of Cambridge is Center for Family Research our research gathers
Family Research our research gathers
Family Research our research gathers empirical evidence about the experiences
empirical evidence about the experiences
empirical evidence about the experiences and outcomes of parents and children in
and outcomes of parents and children in
and outcomes of parents and children in different family types including those
different family types including those
different family types including those families formed through the use of
families formed through the use of
families formed through the use of assisted reproduction such as sperm
assisted reproduction such as sperm
assisted reproduction such as sperm donation egg donation and surrogacy our
donation egg donation and surrogacy our
donation egg donation and surrogacy our research has spanned decades in which
research has spanned decades in which
research has spanned decades in which medical technological and social
medical technological and social
medical technological and social developments have led to key changes in
developments have led to key changes in
developments have led to key changes in the ways in which families are formed
the ways in which families are formed
the ways in which families are formed today this year it’s possible that a
today this year it’s possible that a
today this year it’s possible that a child will be conceived using donated
child will be conceived using donated
child will be conceived using donated gametes that have crossed national
gametes that have crossed national
gametes that have crossed national borders their parents might have been
borders their parents might have been
borders their parents might have been strangers whose co-parenting projects
strangers whose co-parenting projects
strangers whose co-parenting projects began with a meeting over the internet
began with a meeting over the internet
began with a meeting over the internet they may be parented by a single mother
they may be parented by a single mother
they may be parented by a single mother who’s used donor sperm or a single
who’s used donor sperm or a single
who’s used donor sperm or a single father who’s used a surrogate all their
father who’s used a surrogate all their
father who’s used a surrogate all their parents may be part of a same sex female
parents may be part of a same sex female
parents may be part of a same sex female couple each of whom has a biological
couple each of whom has a biological
couple each of whom has a biological connection to their child one through
connection to their child one through
connection to their child one through her egg and the other through her wounds
her egg and the other through her wounds
her egg and the other through her wounds families formed through the use of
families formed through the use of
families formed through the use of assisted reproduction often described as
assisted reproduction often described as
assisted reproduction often described as non-traditional
non-traditional
non-traditional nature put simply they’re said to
nature put simply they’re said to
nature put simply they’re said to deviate from the traditional model of a
deviate from the traditional model of a
deviate from the traditional model of a man and a woman who have a biological
man and a woman who have a biological
man and a woman who have a biological connection to their children as a result
connection to their children as a result
connection to their children as a result of them having hetero sex this model is
of them having hetero sex this model is
of them having hetero sex this model is often held up as the ideal or the
often held up as the ideal or the
often held up as the ideal or the natural or the best way of building
natural or the best way of building
natural or the best way of building families as a result families formed
families as a result families formed
families as a result families formed through the use of assisted reproduction
through the use of assisted reproduction
through the use of assisted reproduction are often subject to social criticism
are often subject to social criticism
are often subject to social criticism but their use of assisted reproduction
but their use of assisted reproduction
but their use of assisted reproduction is tinkering or tampering or meddling
is tinkering or tampering or meddling
is tinkering or tampering or meddling with mother nature in ways that are
with mother nature in ways that are
with mother nature in ways that are deeply damaging for society as a whole
deeply damaging for society as a whole
deeply damaging for society as a whole and despite increasing uses of these
and despite increasing uses of these
and despite increasing uses of these technologies and government legislation
technologies and government legislation
technologies and government legislation that now accommodates their use by
that now accommodates their use by
that now accommodates their use by different social groups these families
different social groups these families
different social groups these families are still at the center of much
are still at the center of much
are still at the center of much professional political and public debate
professional political and public debate
professional political and public debate this is a problem let me give two more
this is a problem let me give two more
this is a problem let me give two more concrete examples in a recent newspaper
concrete examples in a recent newspaper
concrete examples in a recent newspaper article about funding for fertility
article about funding for fertility
article about funding for fertility treatment the headline stated that the
treatment the headline stated that the
treatment the headline stated that the government would be generating a
government would be generating a
government would be generating a generation of fatherless families paid
generation of fatherless families paid
generation of fatherless families paid for by the public and in a recent
for by the public and in a recent
for by the public and in a recent parliamentary debate about access to
parliamentary debate about access to
parliamentary debate about access to assisted reproduction it was argued by
assisted reproduction it was argued by
assisted reproduction it was argued by one MP that those seeking to form
one MP that those seeking to form
one MP that those seeking to form families outside of the heterosexual
families outside of the heterosexual
families outside of the heterosexual couple would be hammering the final nail
couple would be hammering the final nail
couple would be hammering the final nail in the coffin of traditional family life
in the coffin of traditional family life
in the coffin of traditional family life well the traditional family hasn’t died
well the traditional family hasn’t died
well the traditional family hasn’t died it couldn’t have because it’s never
it couldn’t have because it’s never
it couldn’t have because it’s never existed in the ways in which we
existed in the ways in which we
existed in the ways in which we ordinarily imagined it’s a myth how do
ordinarily imagined it’s a myth how do
ordinarily imagined it’s a myth how do we know that this is the case we know
we know that this is the case we know
we know that this is the case we know that in some societies no meaning is
that in some societies no meaning is
that in some societies no meaning is made of genetic connections for the
made of genetic connections for the
made of genetic connections for the Inupiat
Inupiat
Inupiat of northern Alaska for example
of northern Alaska for example
of northern Alaska for example biological ties do not bind instead
biological ties do not bind instead
biological ties do not bind instead family relationships may or may not be
family relationships may or may not be
family relationships may or may not be based
based
based on biology and as the work of Barbara
on biology and as the work of Barbara
on biology and as the work of Barbara Bowden Horne has told us these
Bowden Horne has told us these
Bowden Horne has told us these relationships are also not fixed they
relationships are also not fixed they
relationships are also not fixed they may change over time
may change over time
may change over time but we don’t need to go to Alaska to
but we don’t need to go to Alaska to
but we don’t need to go to Alaska to learn this here in Britain there are
learn this here in Britain there are
learn this here in Britain there are endless examples of families who don’t
endless examples of families who don’t
endless examples of families who don’t conform to this biological narrative
conform to this biological narrative
conform to this biological narrative stepparents adoptive parents urban
stepparents adoptive parents urban
stepparents adoptive parents urban families extended kin networks all of
families extended kin networks all of
families extended kin networks all of these are examples of them and in
these are examples of them and in
these are examples of them and in contrast people previously bound by
contrast people previously bound by
contrast people previously bound by genetic connections may now experience
genetic connections may now experience
genetic connections may now experience family estrangement and when social
family estrangement and when social
family estrangement and when social scientists such as myself ask young
scientists such as myself ask young
scientists such as myself ask young children who they think is part of their
children who they think is part of their
children who they think is part of their families rather unsurprisingly they
families rather unsurprisingly they
families rather unsurprisingly they rarely get told a story about genetic
rarely get told a story about genetic
rarely get told a story about genetic connections rather it seems that up to
connections rather it seems that up to
connections rather it seems that up to the age of about five children are more
the age of about five children are more
the age of about five children are more likely to use criteria such as ko
likely to use criteria such as ko
likely to use criteria such as ko residency or closeness in describing
residency or closeness in describing
residency or closeness in describing their kin beyond this age and much like
their kin beyond this age and much like
their kin beyond this age and much like the adults around them they’re also
the adults around them they’re also
the adults around them they’re also likely to choose whether or not to make
likely to choose whether or not to make
likely to choose whether or not to make biological matter significant and
biological matter significant and
biological matter significant and children are also more likely to be more
children are also more likely to be more
children are also more likely to be more creative in their language use to
creative in their language use to
creative in their language use to describe these relationships than are
describe these relationships than are
describe these relationships than are the adults around them so for example
the adults around them so for example
the adults around them so for example they make aunts and uncles sisters and
they make aunts and uncles sisters and
they make aunts and uncles sisters and brothers from emotional and not genetic
brothers from emotional and not genetic
brothers from emotional and not genetic ties and perhaps most interestingly when
ties and perhaps most interestingly when
ties and perhaps most interestingly when we asked them who’s a part of their
we asked them who’s a part of their
we asked them who’s a part of their families they often discuss their family
families they often discuss their family
families they often discuss their family pets
pets
pets in general it’s no longer clear what
in general it’s no longer clear what
in general it’s no longer clear what genetic connections are if ever it was
genetic connections are if ever it was
genetic connections are if ever it was for example it’s now technically
for example it’s now technically
for example it’s now technically possible for a child to be conceived
possible for a child to be conceived
possible for a child to be conceived using the genetic material of three
using the genetic material of three
using the genetic material of three people recent developments in the field
people recent developments in the field
people recent developments in the field of assisted reproduction have resulted
of assisted reproduction have resulted
of assisted reproduction have resulted in a successful transfer of
in a successful transfer of
in a successful transfer of mitochondrial DNA that is the removal of
mitochondrial DNA that is the removal of
mitochondrial DNA that is the removal of defective mitochondria from one woman’s
defective mitochondria from one woman’s
defective mitochondria from one woman’s egg and its replacement with healthy
egg and its replacement with healthy
egg and its replacement with healthy mitochondria from another of course
mitochondria from another of course
mitochondria from another of course there are other examples from other
there are other examples from other
there are other examples from other parts of the world where genetic
parts of the world where genetic
parts of the world where genetic connections are not fixed in the ways
connections are not fixed in the ways
connections are not fixed in the ways that we might assume in fact social
that we might assume in fact social
that we might assume in fact social anthropologists have long shown that for
anthropologists have long shown that for
anthropologists have long shown that for several societies other shared
several societies other shared
several societies other shared substances can play an important part in
substances can play an important part in
substances can play an important part in making and breaking kin connections in
making and breaking kin connections in
making and breaking kin connections in some communities blood ties are bound up
some communities blood ties are bound up
some communities blood ties are bound up with other practices and substances for
with other practices and substances for
with other practices and substances for example the sharing of food or milk or
example the sharing of food or milk or
example the sharing of food or milk or something else entirely
something else entirely
something else entirely what I’m trying to get at here is that
what I’m trying to get at here is that
what I’m trying to get at here is that the traditional family is a social
the traditional family is a social
the traditional family is a social construction it’s a collective myth and
construction it’s a collective myth and
construction it’s a collective myth and as Marilyn Strathearn here in Cambridge
as Marilyn Strathearn here in Cambridge
as Marilyn Strathearn here in Cambridge has so eloquently stated there was
has so eloquently stated there was
has so eloquently stated there was always a choice as to whether or not
always a choice as to whether or not
always a choice as to whether or not biology is made the foundation of
biology is made the foundation of
biology is made the foundation of relationships and in fact when we look
relationships and in fact when we look
relationships and in fact when we look at the history of the traditional family
at the history of the traditional family
at the history of the traditional family in which the biological facts are said
in which the biological facts are said
in which the biological facts are said to be the foundations of these
to be the foundations of these
to be the foundations of these relationships we learn that this history
relationships we learn that this history
relationships we learn that this history was in fact rather recent and short the
was in fact rather recent and short the
was in fact rather recent and short the nuclear family of breadwinner fathers
nuclear family of breadwinner fathers
nuclear family of breadwinner fathers and
and
and stay-at-home mothers in fact gained
stay-at-home mothers in fact gained
stay-at-home mothers in fact gained prominence in countries like the UK and
prominence in countries like the UK and
prominence in countries like the UK and the u.s. after the Second World War and
the u.s. after the Second World War and
the u.s. after the Second World War and amongst specific social classes but by
amongst specific social classes but by
amongst specific social classes but by the 1970s social changes were afoot
the 1970s social changes were afoot
the 1970s social changes were afoot changes that have since led to the
changes that have since led to the
changes that have since led to the demise of the nuclear family at least in
demise of the nuclear family at least in
demise of the nuclear family at least in terms of demographic trends in the UK
terms of demographic trends in the UK
terms of demographic trends in the UK today less than two-thirds of all
today less than two-thirds of all
today less than two-thirds of all families are headed by married couples
families are headed by married couples
families are headed by married couples now this statistic indicates a
now this statistic indicates a
now this statistic indicates a significant 10 percent decrease in the
significant 10 percent decrease in the
significant 10 percent decrease in the total number of traditional families
total number of traditional families
total number of traditional families over the last 20 years given that this
over the last 20 years given that this
over the last 20 years given that this is the case questions and eyebrows may
is the case questions and eyebrows may
is the case questions and eyebrows may be raised why are we still talking about
be raised why are we still talking about
be raised why are we still talking about tradition as though it’s the only way of
tradition as though it’s the only way of
tradition as though it’s the only way of experiencing family or creating kin our
experiencing family or creating kin our
experiencing family or creating kin our work at the center of family research
work at the center of family research
work at the center of family research has shown that it’s not appropriate or
has shown that it’s not appropriate or
has shown that it’s not appropriate or even accurate to discuss family
even accurate to discuss family
even accurate to discuss family diversity in terms of deviation from
diversity in terms of deviation from
diversity in terms of deviation from their traditional model in fact when we
their traditional model in fact when we
their traditional model in fact when we speak to the parents in these families
speak to the parents in these families
speak to the parents in these families themselves we often find that they draw
themselves we often find that they draw
themselves we often find that they draw upon traditional narratives to explain
upon traditional narratives to explain
upon traditional narratives to explain their experiences whether when
their experiences whether when
their experiences whether when discussing how they chose a particular
discussing how they chose a particular
discussing how they chose a particular sperm donor or how they divided up
sperm donor or how they divided up
sperm donor or how they divided up family household chores or even how they
family household chores or even how they
family household chores or even how they describe their connections to their
describe their connections to their
describe their connections to their children but we desperately need new
children but we desperately need new
children but we desperately need new ways of thinking and talking about
ways of thinking and talking about
ways of thinking and talking about families not because families formed
families not because families formed
families not because families formed through the use of assisted reproduction
through the use of assisted reproduction
through the use of assisted reproduction signal or a significant shift to
signal or a significant shift to
signal or a significant shift to tradition but because there are so many
tradition but because there are so many
tradition but because there are so many more interesting eloquent and accurate
more interesting eloquent and accurate
more interesting eloquent and accurate ways of discussing what’s important when
ways of discussing what’s important when
ways of discussing what’s important when it comes to high quality family
it comes to high quality family
it comes to high quality family relationship
relationship
relationship and experiences our research on families
and experiences our research on families
and experiences our research on families in which there’s one parents – parents
in which there’s one parents – parents
in which there’s one parents – parents parents in same-sex couples parents in
parents in same-sex couples parents in
parents in same-sex couples parents in opposite sex couples
opposite sex couples
opposite sex couples parents in which they share a genetic
parents in which they share a genetic
parents in which they share a genetic connection to their child and families
connection to their child and families
connection to their child and families in which parents do not our research
in which parents do not our research
in which parents do not our research shows a rather simple fact what matters
shows a rather simple fact what matters
shows a rather simple fact what matters most for parents and children is not the
most for parents and children is not the
most for parents and children is not the family structure of which they are apart
family structure of which they are apart
family structure of which they are apart but the quality of their relationships
but the quality of their relationships
but the quality of their relationships both with one another and with others in
both with one another and with others in
both with one another and with others in a recent study in which we compared the
a recent study in which we compared the
a recent study in which we compared the psychological adjustment of children
psychological adjustment of children
psychological adjustment of children aged 4 to 9 years old growing up in one
aged 4 to 9 years old growing up in one
aged 4 to 9 years old growing up in one parent families with children of the
parent families with children of the
parent families with children of the same age growing up in two-parent
same age growing up in two-parent
same age growing up in two-parent families all of whom had been conceived
families all of whom had been conceived
families all of whom had been conceived using a sperm donor
using a sperm donor
using a sperm donor we found no differences between the
we found no differences between the
we found no differences between the outcomes of children in these two family
outcomes of children in these two family
outcomes of children in these two family types when we looked more closely at the
types when we looked more closely at the
types when we looked more closely at the factors that were having an impact on
factors that were having an impact on
factors that were having an impact on children’s outcomes we learned that
children’s outcomes we learned that
children’s outcomes we learned that stress in parenting and financial
stress in parenting and financial
stress in parenting and financial difficulties contributed to children’s
difficulties contributed to children’s
difficulties contributed to children’s difficulties themselves irrespective of
difficulties themselves irrespective of
difficulties themselves irrespective of their family type so to be absolutely
their family type so to be absolutely
their family type so to be absolutely clear there were no differences between
clear there were no differences between
clear there were no differences between these children and due to them growing
these children and due to them growing
these children and due to them growing up with one parent or with two parents
up with one parent or with two parents
up with one parent or with two parents and where children were experiencing
and where children were experiencing
and where children were experiencing difficulties this was not um related to
difficulties this was not um related to
difficulties this was not um related to them being conceived using assisted
them being conceived using assisted
them being conceived using assisted reproduction let’s take another example
reproduction let’s take another example
reproduction let’s take another example in our research on same-sex female
in our research on same-sex female
in our research on same-sex female couples who have adopted children
couples who have adopted children
couples who have adopted children children with same-sex parents don’t
children with same-sex parents don’t
children with same-sex parents don’t look any different from children whose
look any different from children whose
look any different from children whose parents are in a heterosexual couple
parents are in a heterosexual couple
parents are in a heterosexual couple they’re no more likely to suffer
they’re no more likely to suffer
they’re no more likely to suffer psychological problems and in fact on
psychological problems and in fact on
psychological problems and in fact on measures of parental warmth and
measures of parental warmth and
measures of parental warmth and parent-child interaction we found that
parent-child interaction we found that
parent-child interaction we found that the same-sex male couples were doing
the same-sex male couples were doing
the same-sex male couples were doing especially well and yet despite these
especially well and yet despite these
especially well and yet despite these positive outcomes for both parents and
positive outcomes for both parents and
positive outcomes for both parents and children in these families we know that
children in these families we know that
children in these families we know that society still stigmatizes them we know
society still stigmatizes them we know
society still stigmatizes them we know this because we’ve studied the mass
this because we’ve studied the mass
this because we’ve studied the mass media content that’s written about them
media content that’s written about them
media content that’s written about them and we know this because we’ve spoken to
and we know this because we’ve spoken to
and we know this because we’ve spoken to the members of these families themselves
the members of these families themselves
the members of these families themselves we know that these families still live
we know that these families still live
we know that these families still live in a social context in which having a
in a social context in which having a
in a social context in which having a mother and a father to him you’re
mother and a father to him you’re
mother and a father to him you’re biologically related is seen as the
biologically related is seen as the
biologically related is seen as the social norm where some children who grow
social norm where some children who grow
social norm where some children who grow up with one mother or two mothers are
up with one mother or two mothers are
up with one mother or two mothers are asked by their peers to explain the
asked by their peers to explain the
asked by their peers to explain the whereabouts of their father or invited
whereabouts of their father or invited
whereabouts of their father or invited by their teachers to create Father’s Day
by their teachers to create Father’s Day
by their teachers to create Father’s Day cards at school where some people
cards at school where some people
cards at school where some people experience family estrangement as a
experience family estrangement as a
experience family estrangement as a result of their choices regarding their
result of their choices regarding their
result of their choices regarding their path to Parenthood and where sometimes
path to Parenthood and where sometimes
path to Parenthood and where sometimes services are restricted on the basis of
services are restricted on the basis of
services are restricted on the basis of people assuming or appearing as though
people assuming or appearing as though
people assuming or appearing as though they’re part of the traditional norm
they’re part of the traditional norm
they’re part of the traditional norm well the stigma that surrounds these
well the stigma that surrounds these
well the stigma that surrounds these families which fundamentally rests upon
families which fundamentally rests upon
families which fundamentally rests upon traditional family values needs to be
traditional family values needs to be
traditional family values needs to be challenged we need to educate ourselves
challenged we need to educate ourselves
challenged we need to educate ourselves and if we are ourselves educated educate
and if we are ourselves educated educate
and if we are ourselves educated educate others about family diversity today in
others about family diversity today in
others about family diversity today in fact this education would teach us that
fact this education would teach us that
fact this education would teach us that what matters most for children is the
what matters most for children is the
what matters most for children is the same in families of all structures
same in families of all structures
same in families of all structures shapes and sizes that is a war
shapes and sizes that is a war
shapes and sizes that is a war supportive and loving environment in
supportive and loving environment in
supportive and loving environment in which to flourish
which to flourish
which to flourish [Applause]
”
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