Gender and Families

When we talk about family values, like whether children need two parents, we are also talking about gender values, because a ‘yes’ answer to this question might imply that only women with husbands should have children. In the same way, when we talk about gender issues, such as whether men should be paid higher wages than women, we are also talking about family issues, because a ‘yes’ answer suggests that husbands should be the family breadwinner. In this updated second edition of Gender and Families, Coltrane and Adams continue to demystify the complexities and connections between gender and family in contemporary culture, with discussions of race, ethnicity, and social class.