Fathers of children with autism: for a cha(lle)nging visual representation of fatherhood and masculinity

• Autor(a) principal: Lo Bosco, Maria Concetta
• Data de Publicação: 2020
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10451/46888

A growing field of critical studies about fatherhood and masculinity[2] has recently shown how nowadays – at least in the so-called Western countries – fathers are no longer mere breadwinners and outdoor adventurers but supportive caregivers too. Despite the perception of masculinity and fatherhood is gradually changing, this cultural shift is not yet mirrored enough across the wider social and media culture we consume. How the media portrays fathers and masculinity and how does this reinforce stereotypes? In TV shows and movies, fathers are often two-dimensional. They are clumsy, funny dads, making jokes and silly faces, acting stupid, being awkward or on the contrary strong adventurous alpha-fathers. These descriptions underestimate the importance of fatherhood in general and reinforce larger stereotypes about uninvolved or incompetent fathers. Also, it not common to see disabled, non-white, or non-heterosexual fathers in the media. This representation of fatherhood is really detrimental in the long term, as it negatively affects the public opinion and those fathers who lack positive fathering role models. It also shows a poor recognition about how many fathers, unlike previous generations, are nowadays trying to be more involved in nurturing, loving, supporting and raising their children.