8 Marriage
What Whites Said About Marriage
In 1962, a survey done by the Gallup Organization studied how ever-married American women felt about marriage and family. The survey found that 96% of these women believed that a married woman with a family was happier than an unmarried woman with a career. Most thought that the ideal age for a woman to get married was between 20 and 23, with 21 being the most popular choice. The survey also showed that 84% of women did not think there was ever a good reason for a married woman to have an affair.
When asked about premarital sex, 86% of the women said it was not okay for a woman to have sex before marriage, even if she was sure she would marry the man later. Additionally, most people believed that getting a divorce should be more difficult; 56% thought divorce laws should be stricter, as it was hard to get a divorce back then.
As time went on, attitudes about marriage started to change. By the 2000s, people from different social classes began to have similar views on marriage and divorce. Although many became less traditional in their views, people in higher education, especially in Belmont, began to adopt more traditional attitudes about extramarital relationships again. This shows how beliefs about marriage evolved significantly from the early 1960s to the 2000s.
What Whites Did About Marriage
Marriage rates among whites experienced a significant decline starting around 1970, doubling the percentage of those not living with spouses by 1990. In 1960, Belmont had a marriage rate of 94%, while Fishtown had 84%. By 2010, these rates diverged sharply, with only 48% of whites in Fishtown being married. This decline was driven by rising numbers of never-married individuals and increasing divorce rates. The proportion of whites ages 30–49 who had never married doubled from 1977 to 1991, particularly in Fishtown, where more than a quarter were still unmarried by 2010.
Divorce rates also significantly contributed to the class divide in marriage, remaining stable in Belmont but continuing to rise steeply in Fishtown, affecting one-third of the married population by 2010. Additionally, the quality of marriages varied greatly; while self-reported happiness increased in Belmont, it declined in Fishtown, resulting in a notable gap in reported happy marriages between the two neighborhoods. Overall, both neighborhoods showed a decline in marriage, but the effects were markedly different across social classes.
Children and Marriage
Marriage trends have significant impacts on how children are raised and their future outcomes. Research shows that the best family structure for children's development, on average, consists of two biological parents who are married. This setup leads to better results in various areas, such as emotional health, academic success, and behavioral issues. In contrast, children from divorced families fare slightly worse, while those born to never-married women experience the poorest outcomes, regardless of socioeconomic status.
In communities like Fishtown, there's been a noticeable rise in the number of children living with single divorced or separated parents, which correlates with increasing divorce rates. As of 2010, about 22% of children in Fishtown lived with a single divorced parent compared to only 3% in Belmont, a wealthier area. However, the more pressing issue for children in Fishtown is that of never-married mothers.
Historically, children born outside of marriage were stigmatized. Names like "bastard" highlighted this societal view, which changed in the twentieth century when "illegitimate" became the preferred term. Cultural shifts have led to a situation where children born to unwed mothers are no longer seen as socially incomplete or lacking legitimacy. Since 1960, there has been a dramatic increase in nonmarital births among white Americans, sharply rising while previously the rates had remained low for decades.
Data indicate a strong link between a mother's education level and the likelihood of nonmarital births. Mothers with at least a college degree rarely have children outside of marriage, while those with less education see much higher rates of nonmarital births, especially those who did not graduate high school. By 2008, nonmarital births among less educated women in Fishtown reached around 43-48%, while Belmont had only about 6-8%.
Despite the troubling statistics regarding family structure in working-class communities, there are two factors that might present a more optimistic view. First, people with lower education levels tend to marry and have children at younger ages, which could account for some differences. Second, an increase in cohabitation is changing perceptions of family structure; many believe that children raised by cohabiting parents may still benefit from a two-parent household, compared to those raised by single mothers.
However, studies consistently show that children from cohabiting parents do not perform as well as those from married couples, particularly in their early years. Even during infancy, children of married parents generally fare better in emotional and environmental aspects than those of cohabiting parents. The trend continues into childhood and adolescence, with children from cohabiting households facing more challenges than their peers in married households.
The overall picture in communities like Fishtown is concerning. The decline in happy marriages and the rising number of children raised without both biological parents suggest that these neighborhoods are destabilizing. Only 26% of white individuals in Fishtown reported being in happy marriages by the 2000s, down from over half in the 1970s. In terms of children raised by both biological parents, less than 30% of children in Fishtown were found to be in this situation, vastly contrasting with around 90% in Belmont. This growing divide points to a significant cultural and social shift in these communities, raising doubts about the ability to successfully socialize the next generation in Fishtown.
What Whites Said About Marriage
In 1962, a survey done by the Gallup Organization studied how ever-married American women felt about marriage and family. The survey found that 96% of these women believed that a married woman with a family was happier than an unmarried woman with a career. Most thought that the ideal age for a woman to get married was between 20 and 23, with 21 being the most popular choice. The survey also showed that 84% of women did not think there was ever a good reason for a married woman to have an affair.
When asked about premarital sex, 86% of the women said it was not okay for a woman to have sex before marriage, even if she was sure she would marry the man later. Additionally, most people believed that getting a divorce should be more difficult; 56% thought divorce laws should be stricter, as it was hard to get a divorce back then.
As time went on, attitudes about marriage started to change. By the 2000s, people from different social classes began to have similar views on marriage and divorce. Although many became less traditional in their views, people in higher education, especially in Belmont, began to adopt more traditional attitudes about extramarital relationships again. This shows how beliefs about marriage evolved significantly from the early 1960s to the 2000s.
What Whites Did About Marriage
Marriage rates among whites experienced a significant decline starting around 1970, doubling the percentage of those not living with spouses by 1990. In 1960, Belmont had a marriage rate of 94%, while Fishtown had 84%. By 2010, these rates diverged sharply, with only 48% of whites in Fishtown being married. This decline was driven by rising numbers of never-married individuals and increasing divorce rates. The proportion of whites ages 30–49 who had never married doubled from 1977 to 1991, particularly in Fishtown, where more than a quarter were still unmarried by 2010.
Divorce rates also significantly contributed to the class divide in marriage, remaining stable in Belmont but continuing to rise steeply in Fishtown, affecting one-third of the married population by 2010. Additionally, the quality of marriages varied greatly; while self-reported happiness increased in Belmont, it declined in Fishtown, resulting in a notable gap in reported happy marriages between the two neighborhoods. Overall, both neighborhoods showed a decline in marriage, but the effects were markedly different across social classes.
Children and Marriage
Marriage trends have significant impacts on how children are raised and their future outcomes. Research shows that the best family structure for children's development, on average, consists of two biological parents who are married. This setup leads to better results in various areas, such as emotional health, academic success, and behavioral issues. In contrast, children from divorced families fare slightly worse, while those born to never-married women experience the poorest outcomes, regardless of socioeconomic status.
In communities like Fishtown, there's been a noticeable rise in the number of children living with single divorced or separated parents, which correlates with increasing divorce rates. As of 2010, about 22% of children in Fishtown lived with a single divorced parent compared to only 3% in Belmont, a wealthier area. However, the more pressing issue for children in Fishtown is that of never-married mothers.
Historically, children born outside of marriage were stigmatized. Names like "bastard" highlighted this societal view, which changed in the twentieth century when "illegitimate" became the preferred term. Cultural shifts have led to a situation where children born to unwed mothers are no longer seen as socially incomplete or lacking legitimacy. Since 1960, there has been a dramatic increase in nonmarital births among white Americans, sharply rising while previously the rates had remained low for decades.
Data indicate a strong link between a mother's education level and the likelihood of nonmarital births. Mothers with at least a college degree rarely have children outside of marriage, while those with less education see much higher rates of nonmarital births, especially those who did not graduate high school. By 2008, nonmarital births among less educated women in Fishtown reached around 43-48%, while Belmont had only about 6-8%.
Despite the troubling statistics regarding family structure in working-class communities, there are two factors that might present a more optimistic view. First, people with lower education levels tend to marry and have children at younger ages, which could account for some differences. Second, an increase in cohabitation is changing perceptions of family structure; many believe that children raised by cohabiting parents may still benefit from a two-parent household, compared to those raised by single mothers.
However, studies consistently show that children from cohabiting parents do not perform as well as those from married couples, particularly in their early years. Even during infancy, children of married parents generally fare better in emotional and environmental aspects than those of cohabiting parents. The trend continues into childhood and adolescence, with children from cohabiting households facing more challenges than their peers in married households.
The overall picture in communities like Fishtown is concerning. The decline in happy marriages and the rising number of children raised without both biological parents suggest that these neighborhoods are destabilizing. Only 26% of white individuals in Fishtown reported being in happy marriages by the 2000s, down from over half in the 1970s. In terms of children raised by both biological parents, less than 30% of children in Fishtown were found to be in this situation, vastly contrasting with around 90% in Belmont. This growing divide points to a significant cultural and social shift in these communities, raising doubts about the ability to successfully socialize the next generation in Fishtown.