As time progresses, the shift from traditional to modernism within the family structure is continuously evolving.
In today’s society, individuals are opting for babies before wedding bells. Initiated priest of Obatala, Bill Lowman, believes this shift which goes far beyond marriage, comes as a result of modernity and technology.
“I am not exactly sure if the shift is away from marriage, or more so, away from the belief in traditional cultural values,” said Lowman. “Some people believe so much in ‘modernity’ and technology that they no longer feel a need to seek out and live by traditional and historically established ways of social organization.”
Criminal justice major, Latonya Thompson, 27, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., feels that people avoid marriage because it’s just easier.
“More people are finding it easier to have a partner in their life without having a commitment,” said Thompson.
First year business administration student Ashley Clavette, 18, of Orlando, Fla. feels that aside from the ease of not committing, marriage has become less of a priority.
“People don’t think it’s important,” said Clavette. “People don’t want to be locked down.”
She added that people avoid marriage in order to escape divorce.
“With a marriage, because it doesn’t mean as much as it used to, divorce happens a lot more often and they don’t want to go through that crisis in their life,” says Thompson.
What does this mean for children born outside of wedlock?
Thompson believes that children born out of wedlock are impacted because they are likely to be raised by a single mother.
“I have two kids out of wedlock and I’m a single parent,” said Thompson. “I think there would be more structure in my household if there was a male role model here for my girls.”
Clavette recalls what it was like for her being raised by a single mother.
“I was born out of wedlock actually and it’s very different having to live in a household where I only had a single mother,” she said. “She had to be my mother and father.”
Contrarily, Lowman feels that birth out of wedlock has less of an impact than supposed.
“The issue is not whether or not a child is born in or out of wedlock.” said Lowman. “The real issue here is that children are being born into a community/family that is prepared and resourced to provide the social, emotional and physical needs of that child to thrive to the point of bringing forth the next generation.”
Despite the possible downside to birthing children outside of marriage, Clavette feels women tend to place children before marriage for biological reasons.
“As women our organs are not going to be working as well for our entire lifespan,” she said. “And so after a certain age, the risk is higher for both you and your child.”