Blog 7

What exactly is it that makes up a family? According to a simple dictionary definition, a family is a social unit consisting of one or more adults and the children they care for. According to this definition, two men could be parents, two women could be parents, and a man and a women can be parents, simply because all of these combinations are made up of two adult individuals. This definition doesn't discriminate and even sheds light on single parents. However, in some people's eyes a family can only be run by the binary system: a mother and a father. This topic becomes even more difficult when you include transgendered parents. Unfortunately, in the eyes of most members of society, transgendered parents aren't as good of parents. They don't fit into the binary system, so they are not as fit to be a parent.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/12/sharon-shattuck-transgender-father_n_3910749.html

Above is a link to a Huffington Post article/video that describes a child's realization that her father was a transgendered woman. Sharon Shattuck, the child, said that her life was a little different after she found out and that it was a transition, but that it didn't change anything as far as his parenting success went. There are stories very similar to this one, everywhere. To me, personally, a family is a group of individuals helping each other to instill important values and morals in each other as well as providing a structured environment. A family is a group of individuals is socially expected to be there for you through thick or thin. Does the gender of the parental units affect their ability to provide all of those things? I don't really think so.