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Honoring stepfathers this Father's Day

June 14, 2008 By MARILYN COLEMAN AND LAWRENCE GANONG Marilyn Coleman, is a professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Lawrence Ganong is a professor of nursing and co-chair of Human Development and

Father's Day has never had the clout of Mother's Day. Dads are lucky to get a card or the proverbial ugly tie. But, one group of fathers outdoes Rodney Dangerfield in terms of getting no respect - stepfathers.

From the slasher movie series, to "Hamlet," to "The Color Purple," stepfathers are portrayed in film and literature as abusive, exploitive and uncaring. These stereotypes have been around...

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