# "45 Percent of American Women are Single" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 24, 2000, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589 "2000-08-24T15:17:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/1 "2000-08-24T15:17:57Z")
Just read that statistic and it really surprised me—OK, I read it in “Talk” magazine. And they didn’t give a source for it. So it probably has an error rate of, like, 75 percent. But still, it looks like us spinster ladies are not as rare as it would seem—so why does the media (and our friends) make it seem like we’re half a person if we’re not part of a couple, when there are so many of us? Men, do you get this too, or is the image of the “carefree bachelor” still au courant? I’ve never been married, never gonna be married, and I don’t see as how that should make me a pitiable figure. ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/2 "2000-08-24T15:24:05Z")
How are they defining single, Eve? Technically, even though I’m living with my SO, I’m single since we’re unmarried (& conversely, if I were living alone, but not yet divorced, I would still be married - ie not single). If you include the ‘living with’ category, the number probably makes a huge jump. But no, it doesn’t make you half a person, although it is useful on holiday - someone to look after the luggage, if you need two queues for visas etc even ignoring the nice, fun part of having someone to talk to. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/3 "2000-08-24T15:49:53Z")
“How are they defining single, Eve?” —This is “Talk” magazine, dear. It’s a good issue when they spell things right. I assume they meant living alone. I guess now that women can earn our own living and single parenthood is no longer a social shame, things have changed in the past 50 years, and a lot more women—and, of course, men—are not getting married. I just wish there was a female equivalent to “bachelor.” I think of myself as a spinster lady or a maiden aunt; but that would hardly fit a woman in her 20s . . . ---
**Author:** ![Trion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@Trion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trion)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/4 "2000-08-24T15:55:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\* > I just wish there was a female equivalent to “bachelor.” I think of myself as a spinster lady or a maiden aunt; but that would hardly fit a woman in her 20s . . . \*\* Maybe you should think along the lines of “Aunt Jenny” from the Brady Bunch. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Delta-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Delta-9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Delta-9)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/5 "2000-08-24T15:55:56Z")
Eve, “spinster” does not work for you. “Spinster” conjures up images of white-haired old ladies. You are neither white-haired nor old. How about “happily unattached”, or “single socialite”? ---
**Author:** ![ChiefScott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@ChiefScott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChiefScott)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/6 "2000-08-24T15:59:34Z")
“Available” works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Aglarond](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c77e96/32.png) [@Aglarond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aglarond)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/7 "2000-08-24T16:03:45Z")
I wish a few of those 45% of women lived somewhere near me. 🙂 I’m not really complaining or anything, but I would check and see how the magazine defines single. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/8 "2000-08-24T16:14:20Z")
Dearest **Eve** , I’m terribly sad that you have these concerns about what to call yourself. How about we just get married and settle this whole issue? grem ---
**Author:** ![Anniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/cc9497/32.png) [@Anniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anniz)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/9 "2000-08-24T16:17:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ChiefScott \* > \*\*“Available” works for me. \*\* Ah, that’s a good one, maybe I should put it on a t-shirt. **I’m available** ---
**Author:** ![BullDawg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@BullDawg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BullDawg)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/10 "2000-08-24T16:25:21Z")
Bachelorettes??? Either way, since Eve never wants to be married, I’d love to “live in sin” with her. Even if only for a short while. Woohoo, what a cutie pie! And with a brain too? Say it ain’t so! I would even be willing to bet she has the ability to reason! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/11 "2000-08-24T16:52:32Z")
“I would even be willing to bet she has the ability to reason!” —Which is one of the many reasons I’m never going to marry (by the way, I didn’t say I never WANT to get married, I said I’m never GOING to get married) . . . ---
**Author:** ![Michi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@Michi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/12 "2000-08-24T17:02:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\* > > But still, it looks like us spinster ladies are not as rare as it would seem—so why does the media (and our friends) make it seem like we’re half a person if we’re not part of a couple, when there are so many of us? > > \*\* Well, I don’t know about the media, but my friends have never made me feel like I am only half a person. In fact, none of my friends can figure out why it bothers me so much to be single. But that’s because they have all had boyfriends and relationships. ---
**Author:** ![fierra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@fierra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fierra)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/13 "2000-08-24T17:07:58Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by Michi \* \*\* > [@](#): > > Well, I don’t know about the media, but my friends have never made me feel like I am only half a person. In fact, none of my friends can figure out why it bothers me so much to be single. But that’s because they have all had boyfriends and relationships. \*\* It never bothered me to be single for several years, but then I was an only child, so maybe I’m more used to my own company… ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/14 "2000-08-24T17:07:58Z")
The cover feature story in TIME magazine this week, “Who Needs a Husband?”, is all about single chicks. Not that I consider TIME to be a font of wisdom or anything, but if you have a powerful thirst for information on this subject, plunk down a few bucks for a copy. You’ll probably get more knowledge than TALK magazine is offering. ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/15 "2000-08-24T17:15:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Eve \* > \*\* > I just wish there was a female equivalent to “bachelor.” I think of myself as a spinster lady or a maiden aunt; but that would hardly fit a woman in her 20s . . . \*\* **Maiden** aunt? Why do I not buy that? ---
**Author:** ![Michi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@Michi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/16 "2000-08-24T17:19:45Z")
fierra, for all intents and purposes, I am an only child as well. (I have a half brother whom I have never lived with and it has been 10 years since I have even seen him.) The only reason it bothers me to be single is because I have no love life, nor have I EVER had one. I am 31, and I have never had a boyfriend or a relationship. Heck, I haven’t even had a date in a year. That is what bothers me, personally, about being single. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/17 "2000-08-24T17:20:18Z")
Spinster **lady?** Why do I not buy that? \ ---
**Author:** ![shorin-ryu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shorin-ryu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shorin-ryu)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/18 "2000-08-24T17:21:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*The cover feature story in TIME magazine this week, “Who Needs a Husband?”, is all about single chicks. > \*\* The article is available on-line, too, at [http://www.time.com](http://www.time.com). I was interviewed for the article but didn’t make the final cut. But _Time_ did buy me lunch! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/19 "2000-08-24T17:23:39Z")
" . . . if you have a powerful thirst for information on this subject . . . " Um, actually, it was more “jeez I’m bored, everyone else is at the company picnic, what the hell kind of thread can I start?” This week’s TIME should reach my in-box by, say, November; I’ll take a look at it then. ---
**Author:** ![shorin-ryu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shorin-ryu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shorin-ryu)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2000, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589/20 "2000-08-24T17:27:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ukulele Ike \* > \*\*The cover feature story in TIME magazine this week, “Who Needs a Husband?”, is all about single chicks. > \*\* The article is available on-line, too, at [http://www.time.com](http://www.time.com). I was interviewed for the article but didn’t make the final cut. But _Time_ did buy me lunch! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/45-percent-of-american-women-are-single/30589.md?page=2)