The Australian Bureau of Statistics states that, "Two or more persons who live in the same household and are related to each other by blood marriage or adoption", are what is considered a family. Alternatively, Moria Eastman says the meaning of family is, "whatever the family means by family is what the family is. Everyone knows who their own family is." In today's society people are finding different ways of creating a family.
Alternatives to marriage have become some what more diverse and acceptable to society than that of a century ago. An increase in homosexual relationships, de facto relationships, divorce and single parent families has changed the meaning of family in the eyes of today's communities. It was not long ago that homosexual relationships were punishable by death, whilst divorcing your partner was unheard of. De facto relationships were never imagined, if a relationship was pursued marriage was the only answer. The increase in alternatives to marriage signifies how times have changed in contemporary family relationships. .
There have been an increasing number of arguments over whether gay and lesbian couples are able to have children. With many different opinions from people which believe that, in particular, boys need their fathers and every child needs a mother, it is hard to state that is correct. Centuries ago homosexual relationships were unthinkable, and when followed through were punished by death. Many people with homosexual feelings or characteristics were forced to live a sheltered life, faking their way through a normal relationship in order to maintain family respect and hide from the law. Through proposed changes in laws to allow a lesbian couple to have children, society is beginning to accept the possibility that homosexual families will increase and become common amongst everyday communities. Whilst there have been no reliable studies to show whether or not children suffer from lack of parenthood or difficulties within a homosexual family, it is important to remember the circumstances of the children growing up in these types of families.
