Deconstructing the essential father.

Abstract

Neoconservative social scientists have claimed that fathers are essential to positive child development and that responsible fathering is nzost likely to occur within the context of lzeterosexual nzarriage. This perspective is generating a range of go\,ernmental initiatives designed to provide social support preferences to fathers over mothers and to heterosexual married couples over alternative family forms. The authors propose that the neoconservative position is an incorrect or oversimplified interpretation of empirical research. Using a wide range of cross-species, cross-cultural, and social science research, the authors argue that neither rnothers nor fathers are essential to child developnlent and that responsible fathering can occur within a v a r i e ~ of family structures. The authors conclude with alternative recorltmendations for encouraging responsible fathering that do rzot discriminate against mothers and diverse family forms.