Bias against fathers

James Jones

Not a regular over here but it has been suggested that this might be a good place to start a thread on Bias against Fathers so here is a link to an earlier thread on an article in the Irish Examiner.

Otis Driftwood

As a rule,when people start these types of threads they are expected to give their own thoughts/experiences with the subject at hand,not just post a link to an article.Kindly do this or the thread will have a short shelf life.

James Jones

My apologies.

As a separated father who has gone through the usual mill in relation to the Family Law courts, I am still amazed at the tolerance of bias against fathers who are treated as 2nd class parents. I was aware of anecdotal evidence of anti-father bias in the Family Law Courts and was annoyed but not too surprised when I received similar treatment but I simply can't understand how the anti-father bias in society in general is allowed to continue.
For example, even though Section 6.—(1) of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 states that

"The father and mother of an infant shall be guardians of the infant jointly"

schools accept enrollment of children with the signature of one parent only and medical procedures are carried out with the consent of one parent only.
Recent successful cases in the Equality Tribunal were not covered by the media and so the societal bias is never highlighted. Yet we are constantly told that we live in a patriarchal society but it appears to me that "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world".

See my own case HERE which resulted in THESE GUIDELINES being introduced but which are now ignored.

LeeHoffmann

we are constantly told that we live in a patriarchal society but it appears to me that "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world".

The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the house. Why though is it so engrained in us as a society that that hand be female?? The number of women I know who say things like ''a child needs it's mother''...I always finsih that sentence with ''and it's father''. The widely-held view is that women are softer, gentler, less aggressive and more empathetic than men and therefore, they are the natural care-taker for children...These assumptions/generalisations are obviously untrue and yet, for some reason, we're clinging to them desperately.

So to answer you, I think that the bias is 'allowed' to continue because so many people think it's fact. Unbelievable as that is.

"the issue of including fathers in treatment options was not the norm at the time".

Crazy. Sorry to hear about your case OP

James Jones

LeeHoffmann wrote: »

Crazy. Sorry to hear about your case OP

Thanks for that but the matter was not particularly serious.
However, I was amazed to find out that the HSE not only excluded me from the care of my child but that they had been doing so, contrary to legal advice sought and given, for years!!!

visual

I'll add my support
although I've been very lucky as my ex has never refused access or stopped me seeing my children at any time....enabling me build and maintain a good relationship as they grew up into adults, but I have realized that this is more the exception than the rule.

I know too many guys that can't get access or it done in such a way that the guy is used like a baby sitter on Fri and Sat nights so their ex can get hammered out on the town.

Its not fair but the law doesn't concern itself with mens rights...
you are right men are 2nd class

Morag

James Jones wrote: »

Thanks for that but the matter was not particularly serious.
However, I was amazed to find out that the HSE not only excluded me from the care of my child but that they had been doing so, contrary to legal advice sought and given, for years!!!

Unfortunately it may take someone suing them for things to change.

Rossin

edit: i dont have a clue so im gonna stay out of this

goingpostal

The treatment I have seen male friends receive as unmarried fathersin this country's law system and from ex-partners, is a significant part of my decision to never father children. The heartbreak this causes would be too much for me to take, if I was in their shoes.

dead one

James Jones wrote: »

My apologies.

As a separated father who has gone through the usual mill in relation to the Family Law courts, I am still amazed at the tolerance of bias against fathers who are treated as 2nd class parents. I was aware of anecdotal evidence of anti-father bias in the Family Law Courts and was annoyed but not too surprised when I received similar treatment but I simply can't understand how the anti-father bias in society in general is allowed to continue.
For example, even though Section 6.—(1) of the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964 states that schools accept enrollment of children with the signature of one parent only and medical procedures are carried out with the consent of one parent only.
Recent successful cases in the Equality Tribunal were not covered by the media and so the societal bias is never highlighted. Yet we are constantly told that we live in a patriarchal society but it appears to me that "the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world".

See my own case HERE which resulted in THESE GUIDELINES being introduced but which are now ignored.

"this is because, we failed t0 pay concentration to female's particular privileges and requirement arising from their act as mother and home-creator, and their basic educational function as regards children. Engaged in different creative tasks, w0men no longer have enough time to perform their everyday duties at home – h0usework, the upbringing of children and the creation of a good family atm0sphere. We have seen that many of 0ur problems – in kid's and young people’s behavi0r, in our m0rals, culture and in production – are partially caused by the weakening of family ties and slack attitude to family responsibilities"