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Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers No Longer Understand the American Family
Imagine if our national economy, culture, and politics were rooted in the idea that the default American household is white and Christian. There would be no Spanish-language campaign ads and TV shows, no interracial families depicted in commercials, no fill-in-the-blank Heritage Day at ballparks. Workplaces would see no need to accommodate holiday schedules for Muslims or Jews. That was a good bet more than 50 years ago, when the country was 88 percent white and 90 percent Christian, and less than 5 percent of the population was foreign-born. Since then, politicians and business leaders have figured out they will lose out if they deny the existence of the new, far more diverse, face of America. They may be motivated more by votes and dollars than by principles, but they've broadened their pitches to reflect (at least in part) the modern American household. And yet, when it comes to the family structure itself, the system (public and private) is stuck in an earlier era, one which assumes a 'traditional' household made up of a married couple and their offspring. Lawmakers proudly brand themselves 'pro-family,' and vow to fight for 'working families.' There's Family Day at attractions and entertainment venues, and family discounts on everything from phone service to cars, retail and college tuition. The best value for consumables is the 'family-sized' version that will rot before a single person can finish it. Solo diners are shooed to the bar at restaurants, with tables reserved for couples or families. Single people subsidize family health insurance plans, pay higher tax rates for the same joint income of a married couple, and can't get Social Security death benefits awarded to a widowed spouse. Companies that brag about being 'family-friendly?' Ask a single person: That means they work nights and weekends. The fix has been in, for a long time, in favor of those who marry and have children. In times past, this was just a temporary irritant, since most people indeed ended up marrying (in their early 20s, back in 1970) and having a family. But that family prototype is no longer dominant—and all indications suggest we're not going back to the way things were. Why are policy-makers in denial about the country we have become? 'It's not that [leaders] don't understand that families have changed very much from what they used to be. It's that they don't want to confront the reasons why families have changed,' said Stephanie Coontz, author of five books on gender and marriage. It's not that people don't want to couple—most do, she added—but marriage is not necessary anymore, especially for women who no longer need a man for financial support and don't need to stay in an unhappy or abusive relationship. They want intimacy, but with equality, and 'women have the ability to say, if I don't get that, I'll hold out,' said Coontz, the director of research and public education for the Council on Contemporary Families and emeritus faculty of History and Family Studies at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. There's a misguided longing, especially among conservatives, to return to a storied American family that never really existed, Coontz argues in her book The Way We Never Were: American Families and the Nostalgia Trap. In reality, drug abuse, alcohol consumption, and sexually transmitted diseases were more prevalent in the 1950s, but economic conditions (in part because of government support for families) make the mid-20th century family look idyllic in retrospect, Coontz argues in the book. 'There's this ideology, it's really more of a worldview, that if you get married, you really will live happily ever after, and be healthier and morally superior' to unmarried people, said social scientist Bella DePaolo, author of Single at Heart: The Power, Freedom and Heart-Filling Joy of Single Life. But when it comes to how people actually behave and the choices they make, 'the place of marriage in our lives has been slipping,' she said. 'Fewer people are getting married—fewer people want to marry. That is threatening to people who want things to stay the same.' The statistics back her up: in 1970, 71 percent of households were made up of married couples; by 2022, that group became a minority, comprising just 47 percent of households. 'Non-family' households were an offbeat 19 percent of homes in 1970; the most recent Census Bureau statistics show that 36 percent of households now are 'non-family.' Married couples with children made up a solid plurality (40 percent) of 1970 homes. Now, such families comprise just 18 percent of households—strikingly, barely more than the category of women living alone, who make up 16 percent of American households, according to the Census Bureau. Even the current White House doesn't reflect the household ideal pushed by social conservatives. President Donald Trump is on his third marriage (with five kids from three wives); his wife Melania Trump is reportedly a part-time resident of the White House, and Trump hangs out with First Bro Elon Musk (who himself is reputed to have more than a dozen children from different mothers). There's been a steady trend towards later marriage, and even away from marriage entirely. The Pew Research Center, using data from the American Community Survey, points out that in 1970, 69 percent of Americans 18 and older were married, and 17 percent were never married. By 2010, just half of Americans over 18 were married, and a startling 31 percent had never been married. Those trends have caused agita among conservatives worried about the changing model (or the 'breaking down' of that model, as they characterize it) of the American family. Fiscal hawks rightfully worry, too, about demographic trends that indicate we will have an increasing number of old people drawing Social Security and Medicare, and not enough young people paying into the system. This is a legitimate concern; fertility rates in the United States reached an historic low in 2023. But the response to these phenomena has not been an examination of how public policy could be reoriented to the new reality of American households, but rather to try to force Americans back to an earlier, mythic demographic era. There's a deep, anti-social vein running through the strategies of those who'd force today's square-peg Americans back into the round hole of their nostalgic fantasies. There's the tactic of insulting or shaming unmarried women ('childless cat ladies,' as Vice President J.D. Vance called them). There's blaming feminism in general. 'We have this low birth rate in America … it just hit me right now because who's going to sleep with these ugly ass broke liberal women?' singer and Trump acolyte Kid Rock said on Fox News. Conservative essayist John Mac Ghlionn lays blame at the sparkly-booted feet of Taylor Swift, who—while being very successful and wealthy, he concedes in a column in Newsweek—is a terrible role model for young girls because 'at 34, Swift remains unmarried and childless.' Worse, the author screams in print, Swift has had a lot of famous boyfriends, and 'the glamorous portrayal of her romantic life can send rather objectionable messages.' The sneering message is clear: stop being so promiscuous or career-driven, and you'll attract a man who will give you what you want—marriage and children. Except that's not what women (necessarily) want. A 2024 Pew Research Center study found that just 45 percent of women 18-34 want to be parents someday. That's substantially less than the 57 percent of young men who feel that way. An earlier Pew study found that half of uncoupled men were looking for either a committed relationship or casual dating; 35 percent of single women said the same. And while women who were seeking relationships were more likely than men to say they wanted a committed union, instead of a casual arrangement, the survey results knock down the old trope of women being almost universally on the prowl for men who will offer them a ring and children. Bribing people to have children is another misguided approach, with the Trump administration mulling a laughably low 'baby bonus' of $5,000 to American women who have children. Yes, having kids is costly; the per-child cost can top $310,000, according to a Brookings Institution study. But it's not just a function of money. A growing percentage of adults under 50, in a 2024 Pew Research Center study, say they don't plan to have kids (47 percent are nixing the idea now, compared to 37 percent in 2018). The reason? 57 percent of those who aren't planning to have kids say they simply don't want to. 'I don't think you can solve what is ostensibly a cultural problem with financial incentives. That just doesn't work,' said Daniel Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life at the American Enterprise Institute. 'I do think that the increasing costs of daily living, and the increase in housing costs, are all playing a role in (people) feeling more financially vulnerable and less secure,' he said. But structural issues—including women's fear of losing their autonomy or having their career advancement thwarted because of childcare demands—are leading to 'some real trepidation' towards marriage, he said. So, what is to be done? Instead of trying to make people want what they demonstrably don't want, government and business could instead adapt to the modern American household and the economy it has produced. There are about a thousand separate rights Americans acquire when they get married—everything from visitation rights at hospitals, to Social Security survivor benefits, to joint health insurance plans, said Gordon Morris, board chairman for the advocacy group Unmarried Equality. And that, he says, needs to change to reflect the fact that nearly half of U.S. adults are unmarried. Paying for Social Security and Medicare doesn't need to be fixed with a forced baby boom, either. One solution is to embrace immigrants, DePaolo said, since they (working legally) will contribute income and Social Security taxes. Another simpler fix, Morris said, is to remove the income cap for Social Security/Medicare contributions. 'It's a problem that's easy to solve, economically, Politically, it's very hard,' he acknowledged. But first and fundamentally, he argued, policymakers need to accept that the country is changing demographically—and that's not just about race or religion or national origin. Some of the most profound changes afoot in society revolve around the whens and whys Americans are getting married and having children. 'The problem is, there's an assumption that you're supposed to get married and you're supposed to have children. That assumption has got to change,' he said. The new reality, after all, has already arrived.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Heritage Day at Carillon Park to feature Centerville Community Band
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) – Heritage Day in Carillon Historical Park is one of the staples of the beginning of summer in the Miami Valley, however, it will be a little different this year. Now, it will feature a special performance by the Centerville Community Band. Typically, the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra gives the last performance of Heritage Day, however, they will be representing Dayton at the 2025 NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The Philharmonic will be performing during the Assembly. Why is NATO coming to Dayton? Music is still a vital part of Heritage Day, which will be on Sunday, May 25, 2025, from noon to 5 p.m. Rain or shine. The park's exceptional new carillonneur, Alan Bowman, will play a Memorial Day concert at 1 p.m. The Carillon Park Concert Band, which features local high school music students, will take the stage a 2 p.m. A new Carillonneur debuts at Deeds Carillon this Easter Sunday Finally, at 3 p.m., the Centerville Community Band will close the evening with its special performance of 'Remember: A Tribute to Those Who Have Served Our Great Nation.' There will also be informative historical activities, costumed interpreters and more durning Heritage Day. Tickets can be bought by calling 937-293-2841 or clicking here. Prices are as follows: $14 per adult (ages 18 through 59) $12 per senior (ages 60 and above) $10 per child (ages 3 through 17) $10 for all active military, retirees, veterans and reservists. (Valid ID needed) To see the Philharmonic at Carillon Historical Park, come to the Father's Day concert on Sunday, June 15, at 7 p.m. To learn more about Dayton History and its spectacular educational and archival work within the Miami Valley, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hamilton Spectator
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
City mulls bringing back Children's Festival
The Children's Festival could be returning to Grande Prairie next year. Additionally, the city will also be adding and expanding events, such as a Stompede Pancake Breakfast and enhancing cultural engagement during its Heritage Day event. 'During the 2025 budget deliberations, administration conducted a review of the city's event calendar and community feedback to identify potential new events that enhanced resident experience and address gaps in programming,' said Catherine Ridgeway, city events and programming director. City administration found three main gaps in its review: A seasonal imbalance of events with limited spring events, a need for cultural engagement opportunities to better reflect the city's growing diversity, and a demand for a children's festival. If approved, the Children's Festival would launch in April 2026. 'The festival will provide safe, inclusive and educational experiences for children and families, featuring arts, science and cultural activities developed in collaboration with local schools, artists, businesses and community groups,' said Ridgeway. The costs of the festival will be presented to council during the 2026 budget deliberations, with scalable options, said Ridgeway. Coun. Chris Thiessen said that when he helped run the festival previously, the event cost between $86,000 and $115,000. The Children's Festival previously ran in 2017 and 2018 and was not run by the city. Ridgeway said the city is also in contact with St. Albert because of its successful Children's Festival. 'I think it's one to aspire to,' she said. Coun. Grant Berg noted the Youth Advisory Council wanted to see a children's festival return to the city, including programming for teenagers. 'It is certainly focused on a younger demographic, but we could bring in some additional teen offerings,' said Ridgeway. Ridgeway said a new event that residents can expect would be a Stompede Pancake Breakfast at Bonnetts Energy Centre on May 28. Additionally, the city will partner with the Hindu Chariot Festival and Grande Prairie International Association to add cultural experiences to the Heritage Day festival in August. The city's event calendar includes about 24 community events the city is hosting this year. The city's event budget is about $346,000 in 2025.
The Citizen
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Mayday, mayday, runners coming through!
Over 250 runners swapped a public holiday lie-in for a morning of active fun last Thursday. They did so as part of the May Day Dash, a community run organised by We Do Creative in aid of the Salt40 Foundation – a local NGO that focuses on youth upliftment through sport. Runners took on the same route used for the popular race which starts and ends at Hops Ballito on the first Sunday of every month. The route is a 5.6km loop which includes a good bit of hill training up Hillary Drive. The Hops run was recently rebranded as Rock Up & Run with new partner Balwin Properties, but the rest of the activities remain the same. 'It's the same format on the first Sunday of every month, starting at 7am, and runners get a free beer, wine or coffee at Hops afterwards,' said We Do Creative's Amanda Howard. 'We also do three fundraisers for Salt40 every year, the first of which was the May Day Dash. The next will be the Run Your Roots event on Heritage Day and Run Out 25 on New Year's Eve.' You can enter via – search Hops to find them. The first 200 entries at all the fundraising runs receive commemorative shirts. Stay in the loop with The North Coast Courier on Facebook, X, Instagram & YouTube for the latest news. Mobile users can join our WhatsApp Broadcast Service here or if you're on desktop, scan the QR code below. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
Arab News
16-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia celebrates World Heritage Day with 6 days of events in Riyadh
RIYADH: A series of special events are taking place this week at Laysen Valley in Riyadh in celebration of World Heritage Day on April 18. Organized by the Ministry of Culture's Heritage Commission, they run from April 16-21 with the aim of honoring and promoting the historical and cultural values of Saudi Arabia and its heritage through educational and interactive activities. Visitors to Laysen Valley will be greeted with an immersive experience, organizers said, that transports them to the Kingdom's eight World Heritage Sites and showcases their cultural significance through storytelling, a digital light show and live recreations of the locations. A number of artists are participating in the events, including Abdullah Al-Fawzan, whose carved wooden works are inspired by Najdi designs. The doors of old Najd, known for their rich decoration and designs based on natural structures, are emblematic of the deep roots and culture of the central Saudi region. Al-Fawzan told Arab News that woodcarving is an essential element of his family's traditions, dating back six generations. Under the guidance of his father, he began learning the skill at the age of seven years old. He has created about 100 Najdi-style doors for numerous projects in various parts of the capital, including Diriyah and Al-Doho, a historic neighborhood in southern Riyadh. 'We could say that craftspeople are considered the bridge between the past and the present,' he said. 'We are working on pieces that are completely handmade, while preserving the authenticity and the identity of Najd.' Al-Fawzan works for six to 10 hours a day carving and painting his works, and his craft has taught him the art of patience, especially when he encounters problems. 'We have a saying that says 'He who is patience, triumphs,'' he explained. 'I can't work on anything big if I am in a bad mood. I must be in a clear mood, far away from any problems and ready to work.' Other attractions at the Heritage Day events include a dedicated children's area, and pavilions showcasing traditional arts and crafts. There are also workshops, live demonstrations by artisans, and marketplaces where craftspeople will be selling handmade items. In addition there will be a series of drone shows at Wadi Al-Turath on April 18.
