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From: bweiss@cs.arizona.edu (Beth Weiss)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Custody Awards and Sex Roles
Message-ID: <23720@megaron.cs.arizona.edu>
Date: 31 Jul 90 20:11:58 GMT
References: <9007290927.AA26920@wolves.UUCP>
Sender: ambar@ora.com (Jean Marie Diaz)
Organization: U of Arizona CS Dept, Tucson
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Approved: ambar@ora.com

In article <9007290927.AA26920@wolves.UUCP> wolves.uucp!woody@mcnc.ORG writes:
>Why is it that it is alright for courts to consider women caregivers and men
>breadwinners when it comes to custody and support awards?  Or is it?
>Do you not see this pattern of awards as reinforcing the very notions
>feminism seeks to dispel?

I don't think it is all right for courts to consider women caregivers
and men breadwinners when it comes to custody and support awards.  I
have trouble understanding how any rational person _could_ think it is
right.

Unfortunately, while the articles I've read in various magazines
indicate that joint custody is becoming more common, all of the
anecdotes I've read on the net show that specific men are not
finding that to be true.

I would think that it would be illegal discrimination for a judge to
base custody solely on sex; are other reasons being given?  Perhaps
those can be addressed.

--beth
bweiss@cs.arizona.edu