The beautiful way fatherhood's evolved — in 7 awesome photos.
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"As parental roles have changed and expanded, we don’t need to hold on to this outdated view of fathers being disengaged, remote, or even absent," Norman says.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.
- Dad gives a beautiful explanation of why it's ok that his son mows the lawn 'wrong' - Upworthy ›
- Dad shares his 'What I wish I knew before fatherhood' wisdom to help future parents - Upworthy ›
- People are debating what 'appropriate' fatherly love looks like, and frankly, it's just sad - Upworthy ›
- Mom's creative reaction to her daughter's dirty sock on the floor hilariously escalates - Upworthy ›
- "Dads on Duty" are transforming a high school plagued by violence - Upworthy ›
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."