Single fathers and single mothers - viewed differently by the majority of people?

[CatAssTrophy]

This might be in the wrong place. Apologies if that's the case.

My granny (early 80s) phoned me last night. We got talking about a new neighbour of hers who has just moved into their village.

He is a single parent with his children living with him. One is 16, the other is 12 and the youngest is 5. Apparently the mother just left and went off with another man.

My gran was going on and on about how much she and her other neighbours admire him. What an amazing man taking on sole responsibilty of his children. Giving up his big 'city' career to be a full time father (i also hate that phrase; aren't all parents still parents full time?), and how they've been taking things like casseroles and dinners round for him.

My cousin - who also lives in the same village as my gran - is a single parent to her 7-year-old. My gran is constantly moaning about her to me. "When is she going to get a job?" "She's just wasting her life." "When is she going to settle down and get a nice boyfriend?"

It's not just my gran, either. I see it a lot. In my experience - although limited - single men with residency of their children are treated far more sympathetically than single women in the same position.

"Single mums" is actually used as a derogatory term in my town. My close friend said she has a 'thing' for single dads. To her, they are all lovely and caring and committed.

I'd be interested to hear your experience/opinion of this. Where you're from, are both treated and viewed in the same way? Or, as in my case, are single fathers considered superior to single mothers?

I think if you view it like single fathers are considered superior to single mothers, the issue is not solely that society views single mothers poorly, but that society views single fathers well, but that our patriarchal society has the tendency to view a woman doing 'women's work' like childcare and running a home poorly, but when a man does 'women's work', greater prestige is ascribed to the man because the man is doing the work, therefore he gets accolades where a woman may not (see also men in caring professions).

This is why feminism benefits both sexes. Women get the recognition they deserve, men stop being patronised and shoved aside, or treated at barely being competent at something they can do very well.

That and the Daily Mail peddles this shit nonstop.