Somia R Bibi

Somia R Bibi is a sociologist and researcher who has worked within the media industry, higher education and the voluntary and charity sector. 

I joined ASPN as a Director wanting to share my expertise and knowledge and support an organisation that does vital work on the frontlines and through it’s advocacy work to support Asian single parents and families. 

I was eleven, almost twelve, at the start of secondary school when we gained the label of a single-parent family, one led by my brilliant mum. Growing up in a single-parent household, I was often frustrated by how single-parent families were framed as ‘broken families’ and ‘broken homes’ in public and political discourse and even, at times, in film/TV. While that may be true for some, it’s unfair to paint all single-parent families with the same brush. Yes, there are challenges like in any family/home, but resilience, love, and magic are also in them. My mum was—and still is—a rockstar, and I believe all single parents are. There’s a unique strength in these families, and the bonds formed within them are just as meaningful as in any other family structure.

 A level of self-awareness and the ability to strongly see things from alternative perspectives were fostered for me, one I don’t think I would have if I didn’t come from a single-parent family. As I got older, particularly around 18, I started noticing how some people reacted when I mentioned coming from a single-parent home. Their assumptions and sometimes misplaced pity revealed the deep-seated misconceptions about children raised in such families. The idea that we are somehow lacking or disadvantaged didn’t align with my own experience or that of many others I knew.

Single parents are often the backbone of strong, loving families, but they can face stigma and struggles that are exacerbated or facilitated by structural barriers and inequities. It remains vital to share stories and experiences that challenge outdated perceptions and highlight the richness of relationships in single-parent families, which cannot be overstated. For South Asian single parents and their children in particular, the ongoing need for both practical and emotional support is clear. This makes the work of ASPN not only invaluable but essential. Moreover, there is a need for greater recognition at both policy and legislative levels to ensure that single-parent families are better supported, empowered, and resourced, making the advocacy and awareness-raising work of ASPN important.