Society portrays singles and the unmarried as being sad, lonely, and unsatisfied with their lives. However, the reality could not be farther away from this stigma and stereotype. Singles today outnumber those who are coupled or dating in industrialized countries and singles are deciding, or prolonging, staying single longer than ever before for many reasons. There are many reasons why the rise of the single and unmarried in society is a great thing and society should embrace singlehood and singleness instead of stigmatizing those who are single.
Singles are often shown as being alone and lonely. That is in fact false when compared to those who are couples. The unmarried are more likely to be engaged in their communities, civic groups, and public events as well as find more ways to be involved in their cities by finding different events and causes to attend and support compared to their married counterparts. Singles are also more likely to volunteer their time to coach, mentor, teach, counsel, and support causes and organizations that they want to assist to help others compared to couples. Singles have autonomy and flexibility that come with the single life. Singles don’t only help organizations through their volunteerism, but they also help their cities.
As the traditional family home goes, in its place are growing apartments and condos for one person. Where single and unmarried Millennials are moving to in cities often results in the growth of neighborhoods since they go out more and want to return to their house. This has led to the rise of neighborhoods in cities, and the rise of cities, where Millennials have moved to for work. This in turn has resulted in the growth of cities economies and of new types of restaurants and cafes that want to attract single Millennial customers. As single Millennials have brought about revitalization and growth in cities and their neighborhoods, single women have been able to contribute more to the economy as they have been able to enter the workforce.
Women have made considerable economic gains over the past decades with the success of feminist movements and as it has become acceptable to go to school and get a job. Today, only 14% of Millennial women are homemakers. Women are also projected to make up more than half of the United States work force by 2018. Single women share the values of the Millennial generation, according to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report, that places economic and educational success as more important than getting married and starting a family. These different factors have finally given women the freedom to not have to get married to have economic security. In the 21st Century, women can provide for themselves and attain financial freedom on their own without needing a man.
These sociological and economic changes have finally allowed singles to live full lives. Single is no longer a state where an unmarried individual must wait to mate. Being single today can now be a choice and not just a temporary state. As Millennials continue to delay and not consider marriage a necessary milestone, singles are able to live their fullest lives by making use of the autonomy and flexibility of the single life.
