Single Parenthood and the Double Standard

In the 1950s, when unmarried men and women became parents, the double standard stigmatized women more than men. With the rise in egalitarianism and approval of sex outside of marriage, however, attitudes may have changed so that people view unmarried parenthood by men and women similarly or even stigmatize men. This paper contributes to studies of single parenthood by examining acceptance of unmarried parenthood for men versus women. Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households (1992– 1994), we show that there is somewhat greater acceptance of single mothers than single fathers, and women are more accepting than men of single mothers. There is some indication that there may be greater approval over time, given that younger individuals and those who experienced family disruption as children are more accepting of single parenthood. However, there is great variation in attitudes by race, religious participation, and region.