Single motherhood least tolerated by Americans.

[Dotard]

Do children, and especially boys, need a male figure as a parent?

Yes, but. The 'but' being that in far too many cases the reason the single mom is "single" is because the male figure turned out to be a scumbag who abandoned her.

Really? I would disagree and say in far too many cases, (is there an acceptable number of cases? or not enough? what is 'far too many') it is because the woman who ran him off or abandoned the relationship.

Since you willy-nilly decided 'in far too many cases' it is the mans fault the mother is single, I figured I'd willy-nilly place the blame on the woman.