What makes you think it doesn't happen now in the more backward areas of the USA?
I think it does still happen in that parents sometimes expect children to live up to what they are expecting.
Parents are human and get it wrong and react sometimes in ways not perfect.
It's how they visualise their children, like going to university etc. Some parents are more competitive on behalf of their children...... Or are more controlling thinking they are helping.
Mind you, some parents accept their children's choices and how they really are, rather than how they think they ought to be.
Some parents live their lives through their children's successes, sometimes even having ideas on the sort of person their child should marry.
It's part of a whole range of things a few parents inflict on their offspring, they are controlling.
An example I have come across is a 40year old single man living at home whose elderly mother declared she would do something drastic, if he ever brought a woman home.
I was appalled, it's a form of emotional blackmail and control.
Songs have been written about controlling mothers.
https://www.flashlyrics.com/lyrics/sons-of-maxwell/sonnys-dream-26Unfortunately there are still controlling parents.
It happens.
I can see that being gay, etc could be an issue for a controlling parent.
They might not be religious just controlling.
I think it's something in our protective reflex, which some people use violence or threat of to reinforce.
It's when mothering turns to smothering, and dads can do it to.
The problem is I think they think they are helping at the time
