Introduction
Stigma has a substantial negative influence on people’s well-being since it is a social concept at the structural level. Despite its linkages to discrimination and bias, stigma is used within the socioeconomic and political environment as a valid form of social control with limited tools for restriction. A substantial corpus of research shows that single mothers have health inequities, including worsened psychological and physical health outcomes, and that they are stigmatized and targeted by the press and society.
In the United States, single motherhood is a rising issue, with approximately 40% of all infants born to unmarried mothers and black women having the highest rates of single motherhood at 70% (Vo & Canty, 2022). Inequitable possibilities that would enable them to achieve financial stability, educational empowerment, mental health repercussions, and professional prospects are among the systemic stigmatizations that young single moms frequently struggle to navigate.
Discussion
Stigmatization is frequently followed by discrimination, which entails further injustice done to those who continue to hold marginalized social or professional roles through laws, regulations, or institutionalized procedures. Systemic stigmas frequently connect to socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, and certain medical issues. Systemic social stigma may reinforce feelings of inferiority in people, which can impact how they see themselves and make it more difficult for them to seek help and therapy. Hughes (2018) asserts that many low-income African American young single mothers may turn to religious institutions and charitable groups for assistance instead of applying for welfare benefits as a result of such sentiments of inferiority. For the most marginalized people in our society, numerous social assistance programs’ work requirements are unreasonable, and young single moms’ work ethics and productivity are frequently questioned. Hence, societal stigma places a burden on the socioeconomic advancement of young single moms by making them feel undeserving of getting the necessary support.
Even though academia has broadened the meaning of a nuclear family, the majority of individuals still view a two-parent, heterosexual household as the cultural narrative. Young mothers endure higher disadvantages than other non-traditional family types since they must simultaneously ensure their socioeconomic status in addition to dealing with a negative stigma. Due to oppression, single mothers find it challenging to secure the time to work, engage in their education, take care of their children and themselves, and actively participate in society (Hertz et al., 2020).
For instance, Briggs (2018) contends that the supply chain of childcare and other reproductive work to a different socioeconomic class, racial minority, or citizenship status is necessary for modern sole-parent women to pursue paid jobs. Additionally, Perry-Jenkins and Gerstel (2020) argue in their longitudinal review that part-time and flexible work rules among employers do nothing to ease the conflict between production and reproduction, as it affects employed single mothers. All of this is intended to imply that, in capitalist cultures, reproduction and production have a complicated relationship that impacts women of all layers of the network.
Along with financial challenges, lone mothers endure psychological suffering. Other members of society also view them as less competent caregivers and parents. According to Jones et al. (2022), when opposed to single fathers, female respondents in the USA’s study revealed that single moms were regarded as being more unstable, unlucky, negligent, immoral, dishonorable, and less content with life. Such unfavorable judgments might deter many young mothers, make them feel alienated from society, give them the impression that they are straying from “norms,” and consequently diminish their mental health.
It is reasonable to state that initiatives in the field of social services, and specifically single parenting, have traditionally oscillated between a punishing, condemning, and stigmatizing manner and a more kind, helpful, and liberating one (Burford et al., 2019). Nevertheless, discrimination and inequality still exist for this demographic group and must be addressed by sensible social policy.
There is currently a need for improvement when it comes to this group’s inclusion in education since there are not enough resources available for single mothers in that domain. To encourage college enrollment and completion among the rising number of single-student mothers, higher education institutions should offer creative initiatives and services. Along with childcare, promising treatments also include mentoring, psychological support, kid-friendly areas on campuses, and specialized financial aid. Regarding the evolution over time, there was a decline in the income difference for single moms in the USA between 1990 and 2010, going from 30% to 21% in just twenty years (Bor et al., 2017).
However, the battle against poverty and income inequality is still relevant and is essential to attaining equality and putting policies into place. The programs and social work provided to single-parent families must be substantially reconfigured based on cutting-edge ideas in order to react to new realities. Because the income single young and inexperienced mothers make still is not enough to pay the cost of daycare, giving childcare services at a lower cost would enable them to enter the workforce.
Conclusion
Stigma is a result of structural and cultural injustices connected to the creation of femininity on both a personal and societal level. As a consequence, the stigma against young single moms stems from not being married challenges the validity of justification for their stigma. The most prevalent symptoms of stigma against young single moms from a variety of origins and circumstances come in the form of stereotypes, financial inequalities, and unfair educational and employment prospects. The situation faced positive changes over the years; however, meaningful, considerate, and up-to-date social policies can assist in breaking the cycle of oppression on a larger scale.
References
Bor, J., Cohen, G. H., & Galea, S. (2017). Population health in an era of rising income inequality: USA, 1980–2015. The Lancet, 389(10077), 1475–1490. Web.
Briggs, L. (2018). How all politics became reproductive politics: From welfare reform to foreclosure to Trump. University of California Press.
Burford, G., Braithwaite, J., & Braithwaite, V. (2019). Restorative and responsive human services. Routledge.
Hertz, R., Mattes, J., & Shook, A. (2020). When paid work invades the family: Single mothers in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Family Issues, 42(9), 2019–2045. Web.
Hughes, C. C. (2018). From the long arm of the state to eyes on the street: How poor African American mothers navigate surveillance in the social safety net. Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, 48(3), 339–376. Web.
Jones, C., Zadeh, S., Jadva, V., & Golombok, S. (2022). Solo fathers and mothers: An exploration of well-being, social support and social approval. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9236. Web.
Perry-Jenkins, M., & Gerstel, N. (2020). Work and family in the second decade of the 21st century. Journal of Marriage and Family, 82(1), 420–453. Web.
Vo, T., & Canty, L. (2022). Global mental health experiences of single mothers: A mixed methods research synthesis. Journal of Advanced Nursing. Web.