Cheryl Wetzstein
Articles by Cheryl Wetzstein
WETZSTEIN: Overpopulation or “demographic winter”?
Children are our future. They apparently are our biggest problem, too. Do we really want more of them? Published July 20, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Lessons from abortion clinic probes
The unusual citizen-driven grand jury investigations of two Kansas abortion clinics have now ended. The final score is 2-0, with pro-life groups winning zip. Published July 15, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Adultery ‘wrong’ to most Americans
Adultery certainly has been fodder for this year's news cycle. Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer kicked it off with his call-girl scandal. Fellow Democrat, Attorney General Marc Dann of Ohio, also stepped down because of an extramarital affair, and Republican Rep. Vito J. Fossella of New York, who fathered a child outside of marriage, has said he's not running for re-election. Published July 13, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Many teens choose to get pregnant
Pregnancy pacts among teenage girls are really nothing new. The 1986 movie "Peggy Sue Got Married" featured one. Published July 8, 2008
WETZSTEIN: U.S. seen as powerful yet vulgar
In the 1830s, French aristocrat Alexis de Tocqueville came to America and described its new-fangled democracy as "exceptional." Published July 6, 2008
WETZSTEIN: ‘Smart’ marriage evolves
This week, the Smart Marriages conference convenes for the 12th time. When I covered it in 1998, there were probably 500 people there, counting waiters. Now, more than 2,000 participants will cram into plenary sessions, workshops and training sessions. What has a decade's worth of gabbing about a "marriage renaissance" wrought? Published July 1, 2008
WETZSTEIN: The good, bad and ugly of divorce
Few people, if any, would call themselves pro-divorce, at least in polite company. But are you anti-divorce? Or anti-anti-divorce? Published June 29, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Welfare roots led to a big problem
It often takes decades for big social changes to reveal their most far-reaching consequences. Take welfare services for single mothers and their children. Who knew that efforts to solve one small problem in the 1930s would contribute to $100 billion a year in unintended costs 70 years later? Published June 24, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Rap music perpetuates stereotypes of women
A few years ago, I was looking over one of my favorite federal studies for data on American families. As I started pulling numbers for a chart, I slowly became aware of a gut-punching pattern. Published June 22, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Look beyond joy of today
On Monday, California issued its first marriage licenses to gay couples. Thousands of happy men and women soon will avail themselves of this right, which was identified and affirmed by a 4-3 majority of the California Supreme Court on May 15. Published June 17, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Playing with dads is good for kids
I am sure there are evolutionary and otherwise profound psychological reasons for why, of all the fathers in America, the most recognizable one in 2008 is a cartoon buffoon. But we will leave that scholarly inquiry for another time. Published June 15, 2008
WETZSTEIN: YRBS shows a ‘new sexual norm’ for teens
"Have you ever had sexual intercourse?" Yes or no. That's the simple question that thousands of high school students are asked every two years in a federal survey called the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Published June 10, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Are unwed birthrates a ‘tipping point’?
"You're fine" are two of the best words a doctor can say at the end of a visit. The words don't necessarily mean he has fixed what ails us, but they reassure us that at least whatever we have isn't getting worse. The American family gets its temperature taken too, and while it doesn't have a clean bill of health, it recently was pronounced "stable." An obvious question is how long will the stability last? Published June 8, 2008
WETZSTEIN: Minding matters of heart and home
Beginning today, I have the privilege of switching from news reporting to writing columns and analyses on the family. In addition to appearing here on a regular basis, please look for me in the new Sunday Family Times. Published June 3, 2008
The court on marriage
On May 15, 2008, a divided California Supreme Court ruled that marriage is a constitutional right for all couples. The court therefore ordered two sections of state marriage law struck down so that marriage would become available to gay couples. Previously, gay couples could only obtain domestic partnership licenses. Published May 23, 2008
