Today, I read an interesting article criticizing the societal trend towards a greater percentage of unwed births. Perhaps more interesting than the facts and figures stated in the article itself was the inclusion of the article in Slate magazine, hardly a beacon of conservative social mores. It seems that even while parental illegitimacy is on the rise, so is awareness about the harm it causes.
The author, Slate advice columnist Emily Yoffe, begins by contrasting the teen-aged mother which typified the illegitimate parents of the fifties to the current unwed parents who are often in their mid to late twenties. Illegitimacy is no longer just a mistake, it’s a lifestyle choice.
She then goes on to enumerate some of the reasons that the rise of this lifestyle is harmful. She cites the trend for children without married parents to be disproportionately poor, psychologically damaged, behaviorally challenged and a number of other maladies.
The best line in the piece:
"How dare you imply that an unexpected pregnancy should lead to marriage? You are simply out of touch with modern culture." That may be. But it also means that modern culture is out of touch with the needs of children.
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