The romanticization of single motherhood: an analysis regarding parental alienation and paternal emotional abandonment

Abstract

This scientific article analyzes the phenomenon of the romanticization of single motherhood and its profound intersections with the legal constructs of paternal emotional abandonment and parental alienation. The central objective is to deconstruct the social narrative that glorifies the figure of the “warrior mother,” demonstrating how such discourse conceals the burden imposed on women and normalizes paternal absence, with serious consequences for the development of children and adolescents. The research problem lies in understanding how the romanticization of female single-parenthood impacts the application of Family Law, especially in complex litigation. The methodology adopted was an integrative literature review, with a qualitative approach and exploratory nature, involving the analysis of scientific publications, legislation, and case law. The results indicate that the idealization of single mothers renders paternal responsibility invisible, transforming emotional abandonment into a socially normalized act, despite being recognized as a civil wrong subject to compensation. Furthermore, the controversial application of Parental Alienation Law is discussed, as it is sometimes instrumentalized in custody disputes, with the potential to re-victimize women who already bear the burden of solitary child-rearing. It is concluded that the romanticization of single motherhood operates as a mechanism for perpetuating gender inequality, requiring the Judiciary to adopt a systemic and sensitive approach to protect the best interests of the child without reinforcing harmful stereotypes.