The expectations that we hold for our family members are culturally specific and cannot possibly apply to everyone, yet we cling to them as though they are universal truths. Which families are legitimate? What roles within them are valid? In taking a thick highlighter to the inconsistencies and tensions in our expectations, unscripted television demonstrates how ways of looking at the world that may seem obvious to us are in fact built on the shifting sands of culture. Every family member needs to be personally fulfilled. Weddings are about the bride. It’s natural for women to remain in the
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