51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse

[Marnie]

From the NY Times...hard hitting news!

For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with one, according to a New York Times analysis of census results.

In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse, up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.

Coupled with the fact that in 2005 married couples became a minority of all American households for the first time, the trend could ultimately shape social and workplace policies, including the ways government and employers distribute benefits.

Several factors are driving the statistical shift. At one end of the age spectrum, women are marrying later or living with unmarried partners more often and for longer periods. At the other end, women are living longer as widows and, after a divorce, are more likely than men to delay remarriage, sometimes delighting in their newfound freedom.

In addition, marriage rates among black women remain low. Only about 30 percent of black women are living with a spouse, according to the Census Bureau, compared with about 49 percent of Hispanic women, 55 percent of non-Hispanic white women and more than 60 percent of Asian women.

In a relatively small number of cases, the living arrangement is temporary, because the husbands are working out of town, are in the military or are institutionalized. But while most women eventually marry, the larger trend is unmistakable.

[MorningGlory]

From the NY Times...hard hitting news!

For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with one, according to a New York Times analysis of census results.

This sounds right; there are 12 houses on my one sided street (the other side is a school campus) and, of the 12, five are occupied by single women. The age range is early thirties to early eighties.

[kittyjo]

Glory, that sounds about the same as my neighborhood as well.

I'm 39 and divorced, have been for 12 years now. Would I remarry? Maybe, if health issues were not a problem... If I could ever get over feeling that I'm not loveable, worthy or deserving, then maybe... And only if God could find me a good Christian man who could put up with my many quirks and cats!

Actually, I have a very hard time even trying to imagine being married again. I've gotten comfortable in my own way of doing things. But with no children, and no family other than my mother... The thought of being alone until death is rather off putting. I imagine dying alone in the house until the neighbors call the police about the stink..... But at least I can live my life with the toilet seat down, so thats a perk I suspose.

In the future I shall invest in that 'help I've fallen and can't get up' button, maybe the cat will step on it while it's pawing at me to get up... Or gnawing my face off.

Ohhhhh my it has been a rough day, my dark humor is at full force tonight.

[JustinM]

A casualty of feminism.

I do believe in equal rights for men and women, but I read a report several months ago that says many of the women that chose to pursue a successful/powerful, high paying career, often regretted giving up having a Husband and Children.

Good news for single men, there's a lot of single women out there.

[Giaour]

bump

[carrielles]

Those people quoted in the article said they felt trapped in their mariages...couldn't sleep on the other side of the bed....who was he married to? HE picked her. Let the Lord pick your spouse and she won't care what side of the bed you sleep on. She will just be blissfully glad to have you as friend companion and lover. God makes it a marriage. Pray over your marriages and you will be just fine.

[PBob]

Those people quoted in the article said they felt trapped in their mariages...couldn't sleep on the other side of the bed....who was he married to? HE picked her. Let the Lord pick your spouse and she won't care what side of the bed you sleep on. She will just be blissfully glad to have you as friend companion and lover. God makes it a marriage. Pray over your marriages and you will be just fine.

AMEN! God makes it a marriage - today we are facing the possible total elimination of TRUE marriage. We may want to go totally to Civil Unions and Contracts. God instituted marriage, and I think His intent was along the lines of a covenant not a contract. Covenant - we agree to do something regardless of whether or not the other party fulfills their part of the agreement (I know there ARE Biblical exceptions) - Contract - we agree to do something ONLY if the other party does what they agreed to.

Anyway, perhaps it is about time for the government to get out of the Marriage Covenant business and stick to Contracts and Civil Unions. Believers can just take a vow before God and His people to Covenant together "until death do we part". Imagine no marriage license - both parties would actually be accountable to God! WOW!! or get real excited and say it backwards - WOW!

[georgesbluegirl]

I think it's cool that women now feel like they have the freedom to choose when to marry, or whether or not to marry at all, without jumping into marriage to conform to what society expects. I think this is a great thing for women, for marriage, and for the United States in general.