Singlehood Is Becoming a Social Category, Not Just a Status |
Singlehood is emerging as a distinct social category, not just a temporary life stage.
Many singles find fulfillment through social networks, work, community, and personal growth.
Scientific research and policies need to acknowledge that singlehood is a valid identity.
For decades, singlehood was treated as a problem to be solved. Researchers often asked why people were not married, what barriers kept them from partnering, or what negative outcomes were associated with being single. Marriage and, later, cohabitation were treated as the expected endpoints of adult life.
In my article, “The study of singlehood: from a marginalized relationship status to an emerging social category,” I argue that this framing is no longer enough. As more people delay marriage, divorce, live alone, or choose not to pursue romantic partnership, singlehood is becoming too common and too diverse to be understood as merely a temporary stage or personal deficit. Yes, many people still want to partner up, but others say they are fine single.
The........