Oslo, Norway—A webinar organized by UPF considered changing norms in regard to the family.
The online conference was held on May 27, 2021, to celebrate the UN International Day of Families. Eighteen participants attended the event, which was titled “The Significance of Norms – How to Take Care of the Best and at the Same Time Be Open for Renewal?”
At a time when traditional norms are challenged by new technologies, ideologies and politics, we invited an author, a politician, and a psychologist to address this topic.
The author of the Norwegian book Normless commented on how quickly the views on traditional norms have changed in Norway. The traditional family used to be the norm, while now many new constellations are established and welcomed.
The politician spoke about the new gender ideology that challenges the traditional understanding of gender. He commented on the rising number of young people with gender dysphoria. He spoke of possible causes, treatments offered and their consequences.
The third speaker was a psychologist who was very concerned about children’s rights. Many changes in adoption or fertilization practices have been made to please adult individuals or couples. However, how will the child appreciate these new practices? The psychologist referred to many problems that have arisen because the child’s perspective had been neglected.
The fourth speaker was the Norwegian UPF leader, who commented on historical experiences. He referred to the British anthropologist Joseph D. Unwin, who spoke warmly of monogamy as the main success factor in all the cultures that he had studied.
All the speakers agreed that the evening’s topic is a sensitive issue and that changing norms are a strong trend in the Western world. However, it is always necessary and useful to present alternative perspectives.