Did I say ALL single parents are dysfunctional? No, I didn't. You are trying to incite a dogpile against me.
If two single parents of a child don't want to get married and/or share their lives, that doesn't prevent them from being great parents to their child(ren).
However, if one of the biological parents is forcing the other one into that situation, it will only lead to a damaged life for the child-in-question.
This is why EVERYONE should stop and think before they potentially make a baby. But, once the baby is conceived and (at the woman's discretion) born/delivered, family planning doesn't end there. There still needs to be a window of time where a recourse is available to both biological parents equally.
There are really no absolutes. Yes, some parents go back and forth and play emotional tug of war with the child, but not all. Even in the situation where one parent didn't want to be a parent. Lots of parents who never thought they wanted a child step up to the plate and become good parents. Some parents just step out of that child's life, and the child has good male/female role models and the child does fine in life.
You can force a biological parent, to an extent, although that is difficult to enforce, to be financially responsible, but you cannot force them to be a parent. Sending a check isn't parenting.
As an aside, if a child is removed from the custody of a biological parent(s) and placed into state custody, both of those parents are required to pay child support until parental rights are terminated.
I agree with you. Once a child is here, both parents, whether willing or unwilling need to do what is best for that child. What is best is up for grabs, though. Ideally, it is 2 loving parents, whether they are together or not, but it may be one loving parent and financial support from another, or it may be the child needs to be placed with someone entirely different from either biological parent.
The problem is that our foster system is broken. If a parent does not wish to sign over their parental rights then the system errs on the side of the biological parent and gives them chance after chance, oftentimes doing terrible damage to the children. Personally, I don't know what or how to solve this issue. I think, in some cases, family reunification is the best thing, in others I think it's the absolute worst thing. The problem is finding out which it is.
I am also going to say that I believe fathers deserve just as many rights when t comes to custody of children as mothers do. The child should live with the parent that is best equipped to care for that child, regardless of gender. If it can be 50/50, that is great. It's the best of all worlds. If not, it should be the parent who is most capable of providing a loving, stable home for that child. I am glad to see, in recent years, that the courts are more cognizant of father's rights.
Oh, I wanted to add, that the idea that all women who label themselves as "feminists" are horrible, toxic man haters is a myth perpetuated by certain groups to cause fear and hatred. Certainly, there are extremists, as there are in all groups, but, at the root, feminism is advocating for women and their rights. Lifting yourself up, isn't equal to putting others down.