Red Families v. Blue Families: Legal Polarization and the Creation of Culture

299 Pages·2010·1.877 MB·English

by  Naomi Cahn, June Carbone

red families v. blue families
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naomi cahn and june carbone
RED FAMILIES
V.
BLUE FAMILIES
Legal Polarization and the
Creation of Culture
1
2010
1
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cahn, Naomi R.
Red families v. blue families : legal polarization and the creation
of culture / Naomi Cahn and June Carbone.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-537217-5
1. Domestic relations—Social aspects—United States.
2. Social change—United States. I. Carbone, June. II. Title.
KF505.C34 2010
306.850973—dc22 2009048788
1 3 5 7 9 8 6 4 2
Printed in the United States of America
on acid-free paper
Contents
Introduction 1
part one FAMILY MAPS
one Moral Demography 19
two Sexual History 33
three The Age of Division 47
four Personality, Politics, and Religion 60
part two THE LEGAL MAP
fi ve C ontraception: Securing the Pathways to Blue
Family Life 77
six Abortion, Law and the Cognitive Map 92
seven The Irrationality of Adolescence: What the
Adults Are Really Fighting Over 106
eight The Marrying Laws 117
nine Custody and Compromise 139
part three THE MAP TO THE FUTURE
ten Marriage Advice in Shades of Pink 155
eleven Making Ready for Baby: Painting the
Nursery Sky Blue 170
twelve Work and Family: Retooling the Foundation in
Deep Purple 190
Conclusion 206
Notes 211
Index 269
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Acknowledgments
We will never be able to look at a map of the United States again with-
out seeing purple—and red and blue.
This is the place/space/location for us to thank friends and colleagues
who have supported us over the years that we have been involved in
this project. First, we thank each other for our conversations, which
have occurred over more than a decade and spanned several continents.
As we’ve worked through our agreements—and disagreements—we’ve
learned much about red and blue families, and about our own families.
Second, we appreciate the extensive discussions, editing, and support—
and vetting—that we’ve received from numerous colleagues, friends,
and family members. Thank you to Bill Black, Deirdre Bowen, Paul
Callister, Jane Curry, Tony Gambino, V ivian Hamilton, Brad Joondeph,
Nancy Levit, Linda McClain, Rachel Rebouche, Carol Sanger, Mike
Selmi, Mary Lyndon Shanley, Jana Singer, Mary Ellen and Charles Tay-
lor, and Jeff Thomas. We’ve also benefi ted from presenting early pieces
of this book at numerous conferences, including a cathartic meeting of
the Baltimore/Washington Feminist Law Prof Group and “Red States
v. Blue States: The Judicial Role in an Era of Partisanship at the Uni-
versity of Missouri at Kansas City. We’ve been fortunate to work with
Dave McBride as our editor at Oxford University Press and with his
assistant, Alexandra Dauler.
We’d also like to thank the research assistants who worked in Santa
Clara, Kansas City, and Washington: Megan Monk, Lindsey Nel-
son, Christine Waltz, and Annie Wang; and Kasia Solon, our George
Washington University library liaison, who answered all of our ques-
tions and helped us to answer ones we hadn’t yet asked. Naomi would
like to express her gratitude to Fred Lawrence, who so ably supports
faculty development.
To our own families—Abigail, Louisa, and Tony, Bill, Galen,
Genina, and Kenny—you color our rainbows!
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red families v. blue families