Analyzing Kinship in a Cross Cultural Context
In the Western world, there are common ideologies on what is considered a “normal” family. The idea of the Nuclear family with one mom and one dad raising their own kids is still considered to be the ideal family. However, in many societies, such as the Nandi people in Kenya and the Andean people in Ayacucho Peru, kinship is more important than biology. In Toronto, social organizations still only cater to the Western ideologies of who is best to raise children. In this paper, I am going to argue that organizations such as Fathers Making a Difference and Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere do not cater to any other family structure; they only romanticize on biological parents as the ideal …show more content…
In Kenya, the Nandi people practice a form of marriage called “woman woman marriage” (Oboler, 1980). The reason why this form of marriage is practiced is usually to provide a male heir for an older woman (Oboler, 1980). A female husband is a woman who pays bride wealth for a bride and marries another woman (Oboler, 1980). By doing so, the female husband becomes the social and legal father of her wife’s children (Oboler, 1980). Even if the wife is still with the biological father, the female husband now has authority over the children (Oboler, 1980). The female husband is a man and behaves in exact accordance with the ideal model of the male role (Oboler, 1980). In this marriage, the female husband manages the family property, and has a responsibility to provide for the wife and children in a material sense (Oboler, 1980). The organization FMAD assumptions of what a family is claims a father should have a certain role at home. Based on the Western ideologies this organization claims, such as having a biological dad is the best way for children to be raised, we can assume the roles this organization are talking about for a dad is the typical Western roles, where fathers should be the one who provide for their wife and children. A female husband provides for her wife and child, and provides the same functions as the Western model; however the only difference is …show more content…
The Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere (FAME, 2015) is focused on offering families empathy, support, knowledge and directions to get the most from the health care system as an advocate for a family member living with mental illness (FAME, 2015). This organization focuses on the families, saying that families play a critical role for recovery for mental illness (FAME, 2015). FAME’s goal is for families to not be alone in the challenges they may face, and to make sure the families of a loved one with mental illness has the support and guidance they need (FAME, 2015). FAME recognizes the importance of the family, and believes families are the basic social structure of society, and should get help during difficult times. FAME does not mention extended families, or mention that there could be a different definition of what family actually means. It can be assumed that FAME is referring to biological families as the best supposed system for a loved one living with mental
In the Western world, there are common ideologies on what is considered a “normal” family. The idea of the Nuclear family with one mom and one dad raising their own kids is still considered to be the ideal family. However, in many societies, such as the Nandi people in Kenya and the Andean people in Ayacucho Peru, kinship is more important than biology. In Toronto, social organizations still only cater to the Western ideologies of who is best to raise children. In this paper, I am going to argue that organizations such as Fathers Making a Difference and Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere do not cater to any other family structure; they only romanticize on biological parents as the ideal …show more content…
In Kenya, the Nandi people practice a form of marriage called “woman woman marriage” (Oboler, 1980). The reason why this form of marriage is practiced is usually to provide a male heir for an older woman (Oboler, 1980). A female husband is a woman who pays bride wealth for a bride and marries another woman (Oboler, 1980). By doing so, the female husband becomes the social and legal father of her wife’s children (Oboler, 1980). Even if the wife is still with the biological father, the female husband now has authority over the children (Oboler, 1980). The female husband is a man and behaves in exact accordance with the ideal model of the male role (Oboler, 1980). In this marriage, the female husband manages the family property, and has a responsibility to provide for the wife and children in a material sense (Oboler, 1980). The organization FMAD assumptions of what a family is claims a father should have a certain role at home. Based on the Western ideologies this organization claims, such as having a biological dad is the best way for children to be raised, we can assume the roles this organization are talking about for a dad is the typical Western roles, where fathers should be the one who provide for their wife and children. A female husband provides for her wife and child, and provides the same functions as the Western model; however the only difference is …show more content…
The Family Association for Mental Health Everywhere (FAME, 2015) is focused on offering families empathy, support, knowledge and directions to get the most from the health care system as an advocate for a family member living with mental illness (FAME, 2015). This organization focuses on the families, saying that families play a critical role for recovery for mental illness (FAME, 2015). FAME’s goal is for families to not be alone in the challenges they may face, and to make sure the families of a loved one with mental illness has the support and guidance they need (FAME, 2015). FAME recognizes the importance of the family, and believes families are the basic social structure of society, and should get help during difficult times. FAME does not mention extended families, or mention that there could be a different definition of what family actually means. It can be assumed that FAME is referring to biological families as the best supposed system for a loved one living with mental