The Neutered Mother, the Sexual Family and Other Twentieth Century Tragedies

This volume scrutinizes the definitions of family and mother, and gives attention to issues of race, class and sexuality. Fineman contests society's refusal to dignify, support and respond to the needs of care-givers and illustrates the burden they must bear due to this treatment.

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Calling for nothing less than a radical reform of family law and a reconception of intimacy, "The Neutered Mother" undertakes an ambitious and revolutionary rethinking of the law's approach to the family. This book argues strongly against current legal and social policy discussions about the family, because they do not have at their core the crucial concepts of care-giving and dependency, as well as the best interests of women and children. "The Neutered Mother" scrutinizes the definitions of family and mother throughout the volume while paying close attention to issues of race, class and sexuality. In addition, Fineman convincingly contests society's refusal to dignify, support and respond to the needs of care-givers and illustrates the burden they must bear due to this treatment.