Illegitimate ‘not even legitimate'

Press, 16 August 1976, Page 9

Illegitimate ‘not even legitimate'

iPA Auckland I Angry women are criticising the Social Welfare Department for calling ! extra-nuptial children “ille gitimate.” The reference was made m a Social Welfare Department report on extra-nuptial births for 1970, released this week Under the Status of Child ren Act, 1969 extra-nuptia children have the same legal

rights as other children. Ms Joss Shawyer, speak ling for the Council for ih« I Single Mother and her Child said that dozens of angrv women had telephoned her i protesting against the use nt the word, ‘‘illegitimate” j “The Social Welfare Department doesn't want to let Igo of this old bogy,” said Ms Shawyer. I She said that the word I “illegitimate," worked 'against the social development of a child. ; She also rejected the re(port’s proposal to in- | vestigate the long-term ! effects on children raised by | solo parents, and the report’s suggestion that extranuptial children reared bv ! solo parents fared less well I in later life than other children. I “It is poverty which puts I stresses on families,” sh» | said. “If they had the money they would grow up like everyone else.” ! Ms Shawyer says there should be research into the ; long-term effects of povertv ion children, irrespective of (whether they had one parent jor two. ' The authors of the report 'explained in it that the word, “illegitimate,” was used because the alternatives "are either not strictly coti rect, or are inordinately I clumsy to use.” ■ Nevertheless, they wer« “sympathetic” to the aims of the 1969 legislation.