Gender Bias
...that you have devoted your life to, and then one day your wife comes home to tell you that she wants a divorce. A few questions that stand out in your mind if you are a father are: What is going to happen to the kids? Am I ever going to get to see them again? How much support am I going to be obligated to pay? "Fathers are always told that if they go through a divorce, they will lose their children. [They are] told that mothers always win custody of the children [and] that dads are only in touch with their children by a paycheck" ("Fathers Custody Center"). Fathers are far more likely than mothers to suffer gender bias in family courts. In this paper, I am going to talk about what gender bias is, ways to fight gender bias, some of the myths and stereotypes associated with gender bias, and some studies linked to gender bias in custody disputes.
What is gender bias? Gender Bias is a negative belief or unfair way of thinking about the opposite sex. This belief or way of thinking is not based on fact or truth. It is a personal belief that usually develops early in life due to another person's opinion, a bad experience, or inappropriate and misdirected teaching. All too often, "child custody gender bias still manages to rear its ugly head in court rooms across the country" ("Fathers Seeking Custody Face Gender Bias Battles").
Once fathers know what gender bias is, they need to learn how to fight it. First, they must realize that fighting to get custody of their children is going to be an uphill battle. They need to also learn to recognize when judges and court counselors are working under gender bias presumptions that discriminate against them. Fathers should never underestimate gender bias against them in custody cases. "Today, divorcing fathers must be twice as good a parent and work longer and harder, to get one-half the consideration as a mother...
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