The beautiful way fatherhood's evolved — in 7 awesome photos.

Kayla Stewart
06.15.18

Dads are pretty darn awesome.

They're often known for being super-creative, exceptional tea party guests, and turning into some pretty skilled dancers when need be.

They're also increasingly becoming known for being especially kind, gentle, and loving. Unfortunately, this side of fatherhood isn't often shown in imagery. But photographers and photo companies are working to change that.

1. This amazing papa looks totally at ease holding his adorable child. Photo by Layland Masuda/Getty Images.

According to Tristen Norman, head of creative insights and planning at Getty Images, making sure photos of loving, compassionate dads are included in their photo archive is an important way to shift the narrative of masculinity and fatherhood.

2. Who says dads can't clean up after their kids? Data — and this super cute photo — say otherwise. Photo by Maskot/Getty Images.

"When imagery only tells us one narrative, these views emerge as restrictive and one-dimensional, omitting diverse voices and ultimately normalizing a singular stereotype," Norman says. "Just as images have this ability to set narratives, so too do they have the power to change perceptions. Which is why it is so important to us to change the visual narrative around fatherhood — and we’re in a position to help do that."

Why is it so important to present imagery of fathers in loving, patient moments with their kids? Because research shows it's pretty darn important to them.

According to the Pew Research Center, dads have become just as likely as moms to see parenting as a central part of their identity.

54% of fathers surveyed reported that parenting is rewarding all the time, in contrast with 52% of moms. In short, a lot of dads love parenting — and they want to be good at it.

3. Yes, dads are pretty excellent multitaskers, too. Photo by Maskot/Getty Images.

"As parental roles have changed and expanded, we don’t need to hold on to this outdated view of fathers being disengaged, remote, or even absent," Norman says.

"Positive imagery has positive impact, so showing fathers doing their daughter’s hair, reading to their children, cooking with them, teaching them responsibility are important in influencing the next generation of parents."

4. Reading or simply spending time with your dad can be one of the most meaningful moments of the day. Photo by Anchiy/Getty Images.

Some of the positive imagery reflects the fact that dads are making important gains in the child care arena.

In fact, according to research from 2016, fathers reported spending about eight hours per week caring for a child, about triple the amount fathers reported providing in 1965.

5. Yes, dads can, will, and should do laundry. Oh, and they've got time to play too. Photo by Hero Images/Getty Images.

"Showing active fathers who are rolling up their sleeves, wiping faces, changing diapers, getting messy and involved, is so important in breaking down old typecasts and presenting new role models for men," Norman says.

In addition to breaking down decades-old stereotypes, Getty Images is also looking toward the future of fatherhood.

As the number of same-sex parents continues to rise (according to Census Bureau data, there are about 110,000 LGBTQ couples raising children) in the U.S., Getty hopes to continue showing more diverse imagery of fathers, including various jobs, ethnicities, and sexualities.

"We really want to expand this view of fatherhood and all socialized gender roles," Norman says. "Showing dads who have no hesitations about playing with their daughters on her terms, whether that means playing tea party or building a model rocket ship. Or dads teaching their sons how to cook as well as how to catch a baseball. We need to move away from the nuclear family with the station wagon and elevate LGBTQ+ families, single dads, older or stay-at-home dads. And we need to broaden the scope of fatherly love."

6. This heartwarming photo shows that dads can be just as nurturing as moms. Photo by Yoshiyoshi Hirokawa/Getty Images.

It's important that society creates imagery that shows dads playing a key role in their child's life.

As stereotypes, such as only being the "sidekick" or "fun" dad, start to become less common, Norman hopes that Getty Images and other photo companies ensure that visuals amplify a diversifying definition of what it means to be a good dad.

"This is a stereotype that has been particularly prevalent throughout history, but can play out differently within specific communities," Norman says. "It can be as mild as ‘sidekick’ or ‘disengaged,’ or as pernicious as ‘deadbeat dad’ or ‘absent father.’ Visually showing this commitment to parenting and sustained connection throughout a child’s lifecycle — not just as infants — is fundamental to breaking down these harmful clichés."

7. An educational moment with dad can be a great way to end the day. Photo by Adam Angelides/Getty Images.

"These images challenge the old (and toxic) visual manual to fatherhood, empower men to be equally present in raising their children, and enable society to embrace the full spectrum of today’s fathers."

If fatherhood continues to look anything like these photos, I can't wait to see what's next.

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Florida city forecloses on man's home after fining him $30,000 for not mowing his lawn.

Youtube

Should a man lose his home because the grass in his yard grew higher than 10 inches? The city of Dunedin, Florida seems to think so.

According to the Institute of Justice, which is representing Jim Ficken, he had a very good reason for not mowing his lawn – and tried to rectify the situation as best he could.

In 2014, Jim's mom became ill and he visited her often in South Carolina to help her out. When he was away, his grass grew too long and he was cited by a code office; he cut the grass and wasn't fined.

France has started forcing supermarkets to donate food instead of throwing it away.

But several years later, this one infraction would come back to haunt him after he left to take care of him's mom's affairs after she died. The arrangements he made to have his grass cut fell through (his friend who he asked to help him out passed away unexpectedly) and that set off a chain reaction that may result in him losing his home.

The 69-year-old retiree now faces a $29,833.50 fine plus interest. Watch the video to find out just what Jim is having to deal with.

Mow Your Lawn or Lose Your House! www.youtube.com

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Cities

Michelle Obama named 'most admired woman in the world,' because of course she is.

The world can't get enough Michelle.

Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube

The world officially loves Michelle Obama.

The former first lady has overtaken the number one spot in a poll of the world's most admired women. Conducted by online research firm YouGov, the study uses international polling tools to survey people in countries around the world about who they most admire.

In the men's category, Bill Gates took the top spot, followed by Barack Obama and Jackie Chan.

In the women's category, Michelle Obama came first, followed by Oprah Winfrey and Angelina Jolie. Obama pushed Jolie out of the number one spot she claimed last year.

Unsurprising, really, because what's not to love about Michelle Obama? She is smart, kind, funny, accomplished, a great dancer, a devoted wife and mother, and an all-around, genuinely good person.

She has remained dignified and strong in the face of rabid masses of so-called Americans who spent eight years and beyond insisting that she's a man disguised as a woman. She's endured non-stop racist memes and terrifying threats to her family. She has received far more than her fair share of cruelty, and always takes the high road. She's the one who coined, "When they go low, we go high," after all.

She came from humble beginnings and remains down to earth despite becoming a familiar face around the world. She's not much older than me, but I still want to be like Michelle Obama when I grow up.

Her memoir, Becoming, may end up being the best-selling memoir of all time, having already sold 10 million copies—a clear sign that people can't get enough Michelle, because there's no such thing as too much Michelle.

Don't like Michelle Obama? Don't care. Those of us who love her will fly our MO flags high and without apology, paying no mind to folks with cold, dead hearts who don't know a gem of a human being when they see one. There is nothing any hater can say or do to make us admire this undeniably admirable woman any less.

When it seems like the world has lost its mind—which is how it feels most days these days—I'm just going to keep coming back to this study as evidence that hope for humanity is not lost.

Here. Enjoy some real-life Michelle on Jimmy Kimmel. (GAH. WHY IS SHE SO CUTE AND AWESOME. I can't even handle it.)

Michelle & Barack Obama are Boring Now www.youtube.com

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France has started forcing supermarkets to donate food instead of throwing it away.

via EarthFix / Flickr

What will future generations never believe that we tolerated in 2019?

Dolphin and orca captivity, for sure. They'll probably shake their heads at how people died because they couldn't afford healthcare. And, they'll be completely mystified at the amount of food some people waste while others go starving.

According to Biological Diversity, "An estimated 40 percent of the food produced in the United States is wasted every year, costing households, businesses and farms about $218 billion annually."

There are so many things wrong with this.

First of all it's a waste of money for the households who throw out good food. Second, it's a waste of all of the resources that went into growing the food, including the animals who gave their lives for the meal. Third, there's something very wrong with throwing out food when one in eight Americans struggle with hunger.

Supermarkets are just as guilty of this unnecessary waste as consumers. About 10% of all food waste are supermarket products thrown out before they've reached their expiration date.

Three years ago, France took big steps to combat food waste by making a law that bans grocery stores from throwing away edible food.According to the new ordinance, stores can be fined for up to $4,500 for each infraction.

Previously, the French threw out 7.1 million tons of food. Sixty-seven percent of which was tossed by consumers, 15% by restaurants, and 11% by grocery stores.

This has created a network of over 5,000 charities that accept the food from supermarkets and donate them to charity. The law also struck down agreements between supermarkets and manufacturers that prohibited the stores from donating food to charities.

"There was one food manufacturer that was not authorized to donate the sandwiches it made for a particular supermarket brand. But now, we get 30,000 sandwiches a month from them — sandwiches that used to be thrown away," Jacques Bailet, head of the French network of food banks known as Banques Alimentaires, told NPR.

It's expected that similar laws may spread through Europe, but people are a lot less confident at it happening in the United States. The USDA believes that the biggest barrier to such a program would be cost to the charities and or supermarkets.

"The logistics of getting safe, wholesome, edible food from anywhere to people that can use it is really difficult," the organization said according to Gizmodo. "If you're having to set up a really expensive system to recover marginal amounts of food, that's not good for anybody."

Plus, the idea may seem a little too "socialist" for the average American's appetite.

"The French version is quite socialist, but I would say in a great way because you're providing a way where they [supermarkets] have to do the beneficial things not only for the environment, but from an ethical standpoint of getting healthy food to those who need it and minimizing some of the harmful greenhouse gas emissions that come when food ends up in a landfill," Jonathan Bloom, the author of American Wasteland, told NPR.

However, just because something may be socialist doesn't mean it's wrong. The greater wrong is the insane waste of money, damage to the environment, and devastation caused by hunger that can easily be avoided.

Planet

Single dad asks his daughters for fashion advice before a date and strangers on social media responded with some helpful suggestions.

The world is dark and full of terrors, but every once in a while it graces us with something to warm our icy-cold hearts. And that is what we have today, with a single dad who went viral on Twitter after his daughter posted the photos he sent her when trying to pick out and outfit for his date. You love to see it.




After seeing these heartwarming pics, people on Twitter started suggesting this adorable man date their moms. It was essentially a mom and date matchmaking frenzy.

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