This is a rather provocative topic. We may as well make a topic that can come different ways on! But hang. Just till I make my pitch!
Single parent households are on the up and up. Schools are staffed largely by female teachers. There are a lot of young guys growing up with really no male role models.
I'm right. Aren't I?
Does this matter?

Possibly, yes. It would take an actual government or independent study to find out.

My personal opinion though leans towards yes.

my opinion leans towards yes, as well

children dont need fathers, if women can do it all and dont need a man
women dont need men, if we can do it all and dont need a man
society wants men to behave as if they are no different from women

so where does a boy learn anything about being 'masculine'?


gender roles are being destroyed and rebelled against, there is less and less guide for young men any more, except for the women they see taking things over...


being a 'masculine' male is considered a bigoted and harmful stereotype
just as being a 'lady' is considered to be a limiting stereotype on women

children dont need fathers, if women can do it all and dont need a man
women dont need men, if we can do it all and dont need a man
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And you were married.. how many times?.. so much for the " no need for men"

yes, twice, I have never felt the 'no need for men' doctrine is true, that was my point.

Kids are growing up without a mother or father within their lives... Does this matter sure the hell does.. Kids need both to influence their lives regardless..

Can a Woman take the place of a father... hell no, but they can raise them with respect and knowledge as well as having male figures to help out from time to time.. This is the same as far as men raising kids on their own... It is actually harder for the men... but I know several that did a great job...

But regardless having a mother/father not within a child's life will make a difference from those that have both full time within their lives, that is actually there for the family and does stuff with them..

I was a single mother from the time my kids were 7 & 9 never let a man live with me for I went through step moms and gf that was in my dads life...

Kids need a stable life not jumping from place to place or person to person...

A single parent can raise kids on their owns and they can and have been just as successful as those that had both parents..

But deep down those kids at times wonder how it would have been with both parents.. I know my kids do for we have actually talked about it..

I think it matters. No necessarily that a kid has both parents active. I think it matters especially for boys that they have some type of male role models in their lives.
It could be a male teacher. Someone who is able to give a reasonably good example of an honourable decent adult male.
Is it that sometimes the only role models some young lads have happen to be bums?

In my opinion children need both. There are things that a woman brings to the table in raising children that a man could never. And vice a versa.

and while single parents do a wonderful job, one parent could never fill both rolls.. never.

When we were raising our sons, there were many " father / son" discussions that frankly a mother could should be apart of. And I am sure my wife had many mother / son conversations where I was meant to know about.

a balance.. a even balance

I guess you just proved him right, by that last statement... Only women think that way... I happen to like a lady being a lady...

I think the misguided 'equal' and 'self sufficient' doctrines regarding men and women are held by people in all walks of life.

I do not agree with it at all. I'm just stating the fact that others feel that way.

Another consideration is there is no 'model' for relationships either now that everything kind of goes.

that means that young women also have lost that modeling of how a man should treat his wife or partner and can end up seeking whatever is absent by not having a father present, and make them much easier to dupe, and much more needy.

When I see and hear around me kids as victims of Inequality,
Injustice, or matures on Gender bashing/s, I choose to stand
in the rain so no one sees me crying.

Aww....What kind of a world we live today??

perhaps one overflowing with self fulfillment and the need to be or feel more deserving or superior than others ...

The "world" is a very big place.
The human "world" civilization is very diverse.
Personally, I exist in a very small portion of the "world".
Chances are, nobody here is an active "global" entity.
Much of what we understand about the "world" is taught to us by others, not experienced ourselves.

As global communication gets better and better, we are exposed to more and more idealisms that promote individuality.
Our economy is starting to respond to our desires allowing us to obtain those desires at a faster pace.
Instant gratification is replacing discipline and determination.

There is a growing consensus that each person needs to find their own individuality. This is deteriorating the previously established norm of male/female roles in our societies.

More women are adopting masculine traits and more men are adopting feminine traits. The distinctions are starting to blur. The individualism is being accepted as the new distinction.

Personally, I believe this trend is a major step towards global unity. I see it as a social necessity if we are to grow as a civilization. The key to the change is our advancing levels of communication. We are gaining the ability to differentiate natural behavior from expected behavior.
Empathy for individual desires is increasing.

I do believe that a child needs a male and female role model. My dad died when I was 7 and, even though my mom did all she could (won't take that from her) doesn't replace my dad.

As far as teachers...they are there to teach. My niece is a jr high teacher. She is a teacher, not a mom. She had her own kids. She is a role model at school but that is it

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Perhaps ?? ....But often I don't like it
I know, reality baits and hurts most of the time/s.

I started this topic . Partly because I otherwise know and like some of the people who contribute here a lot.
I am not even a parent. I have no son or daughter in the world and at this stage probably never will have.
I decided to read all the replies. I think I'm in good company here. For all bar a single one were considered , balanced and very thought provoking, each in their way.

I agree.
Also, there's this group of men who are so quick to get angry about women not needing them or "the world" not needing them. Here's a great tip: Be someone we want in our family, social circle, workplace, etc and you won't be or feel ousted.

"The world" isn't rejecting men, it's rejecting a-holes. Don't be one! :)

Edit: that was supposed to be quoting Tom4Uhere's post but in an attempt to not repeat the whole thing, I messed it up. anyway ups to Tom4Uhere :)