Family 2.0

Partnering on Parenthood

In today's evolving landscape of family dynamics, Ford stands firmly with its employees, offering comprehensive "family-forming" benefits in collaboration with Progyny, a leading fertility benefits management company. These benefits encompass a range of services, including fertility treatments, surrogacy, and adoption expenses.

For Ford employees and their partners, there's the invaluable resource of a dedicated patient care advocate offering unlimited support. This advocate is readily available to guide them through the physical, emotional, and financial challenges they may face on their unique paths to parenthood. Whether that journey involves fertility treatments, adoption, or surrogacy, Ford is committed to assisting employees in realizing their family vision in this era of Family 2.0.

Historic Win for Polyamorous Families

Somerville, MA, has made history as the first U.S. city to grant legal protections against discrimination to individuals in polyamorous relationships and nontraditional family setups.

The city council passed three ordinances that establish "family or relationship structure" as a protected class, in parallel with the protections based on race, gender, or sexual orientation. These ordinances extend anti-discrimination measures into various spheres of life, including police interactions and employment, with a fourth ordinance under consideration to combat housing discrimination.

This groundbreaking move acknowledges the evolving landscape of family structures, as 4 to 5 percent of Americans identify as polyamorous, and 21 percent have experienced non-monogamous relationships, signifying a broader societal shift toward recognizing diverse relationships. Advocates hope to address child custody issues in future legislation, although federal or state protections for polyamorous families may still face challenges due to current political priorities.

“New Era” Marriage

The proportion of unmarried urban women in China, aged 25 to 29, has increased nearly five-fold — climbing to a considerable 40.6% in 2020 from a mere 8.6% in 2000 — according to research conducted by Wang Feng, professor of sociology at the University of California, Irvine.

From economic to personal reasons, there are various factors driving women's decisions to remain single. For example, women are increasingly economically independent and capable of supporting themselves. As a result, they are seeking equal partners rather than traditional providers.

The impact of this shift can be seen in a partial government rollout of a “new era” marriage program in 2023, which includes encouraging couples to equitably share child-rearing responsibilities. And it's not just single women avoiding the altar: couples are delaying marriage too as they deal with pressure to own a home and car before tying the knot. Also contributing to the trend is that China remains one of the most expensive countries in which to raise a child.

Movies with a Tail

Curzon Cinemas, a British cinema chain, has introduced a new policy allowing dogs to attend select movie screenings with their owners. This initiative is in response to the surge in pet ownership observed during the pandemic and reflects the desire of pet owners to share experiences like going to the movies with their beloved critters.

Dog owners can bring their furry friends to one screening each week at a designated London location; no separate tickets are required for the dogs. Dogs are not allowed on the cinema seats, and owners are responsible for cleaning up any messes their four-legged dates create.

For their part, cinemas are making necessary adjustments, like reducing sound levels to ensure a pleasant experience for both moviegoers and their canine companions. Luisa Fulcher, who attended a screening with her 2-year-old Doberman, Kab, told The New York Times that the screenings are “a great idea because nowadays pets are part of the family. They are not just pets anymore. It's like your little baby.”