Why does defining family have important consequences for individuals living in Canada? If this is the case,why is providing a universal definition "both highly problematic and undesirable?"

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Answer is Defining family,both socially and legally,has important consequences,not only for our individual lives but also for how we are situated in relation to social institutions.For example,the legalization of same-sex marriages has made certain rights and benefits available to married same-sex couples that were at one time available only to married heterosexual couples.Recognized partners can have access to each other's employment benefits,and they are able to apply to adopt or to foster children.In the event of a medical emergency,partners are the first persons contacted and are able to make decisions on their partner's behalf.Legalization also affords partners rights and benefits in terms of inheritance in the event of the death of their partner.
Providing a universal definition of family that is relevant in Canada and elsewhere,however,is both highly problematic and undesirable because the term family is a "minefield of contested values and power relationships" with some groups lobbying for more inclusive definitions of families and others for tighter restrictions on who can be included in a family.Moreover,different definitions of family are invoked in particular circumstances-in law,in government policy,in religious doctrine,and so forth.The reality,then,is that the boundaries of the concept family must be understood as fluid.

Why Does Defining Family Have Important Consequences for Individuals Living