Deadbeat Dads

Deadbeat dads refers to men who contribute to the birth of a child, but neglect to pay child support despite being ordered to do so by a court of law. Another expression sometimes used is deadbeat moms, an equivalent term that refers to mothers who do not provide child support. These terms have most recently been replaced by the phrase deadbeat parents, a gender-neutral term that refers to any parent who is obligated to provide child support but fails to fulfill that obligation.

Children's well-being may be harmed when fathers fail to contribute financially to their offspring. As a result, there are often vigorous campaigns to track [Page 185]down alleged deadbeat dads and compel them to pay child support. For instance, legislators have enacted tighter laws, police departments have conducted large-scale “round-ups,” and citizen activists have formed community groups; these efforts, and many others like them, have recently been aimed at bringing deadbeat dads to justice. Alleged deadbeat dads confront many penalties in the legal system, including possible prison sentences and salary deductions to recoup the child support. In addition, they face intense public shame and prejudice from highly public attempts to collect financial assistance for their children. For example, their identities may be splashed across a newspaper page, publicized on a highway billboard, revealed in a television show, or highlighted on an Internet Web page. Indeed, deadbeat dads are the targets of negative treatment in current society.

This intense negative attention has likely further reinforced people's negative views of deadbeat dads, which are also probably supported and strengthened by widespread negative stereotypes of men in society. For instance, one common stereotype—that men are less nurturing than women—may reinforce the image of deadbeat dads as uncaring and ignores the possibility that men may be financially unable to pay child support to the extent required by a legal order.

Recently, some men's rights groups have responded fiercely to this negative societal treatment. Arguing that women have more options than men when an unintended pregnancy occurs, these activists have suggested that men should also be afforded additional legal options. Indeed, they are currently engaged in legal battles to provide men with such options, including the right to opt out of financial responsibility for an unplanned child.

Deadbeat dads are fathers who do not pay child support. However, many mothers today also do not pay the required child support. Regardless of their gender, these deadbeat parents face intense negative prejudice and stereotypes from society.