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Dina Hannaford, an adjunct professor of anthropology at the University of Houston (UH, USA), shared insights from her extensive research on this pressing topic. For several decades, her team has documented and analyzed the stories of women around the globe.
The researchers focused on various groups of women, including those who have never been married, those who are divorced or widowed, and married women who are actively working to improve their marriages.
Is the Institution of Marriage Gradually Dying?
“Japanese women are rejecting marriage,” “Nearly half of Canadians believe marriage is unnecessary,” “Chileans are marrying less and later”… These and other headlines prompt us to consider whether the institution of marriage is slowly fading away.
The reality is that more and more women no longer feel weak. Often, they find it easier and more convenient to remain unmarried. Those who do choose to marry are doing so significantly later than was customary in society just half a century ago.
In the United States, for instance, the average age for entering into a first marriage has risen from 20.1 years for women and 22.5 years for men in 1956 to 27.1 years for women and 29.2 years for men in 2016. This trend is evident across the globe. The average age for women getting married for the first time is approaching 30. Moreover, women are in no rush to have children, often choosing to do so outside of marriage as they feel financially independent.
Currently, 89 percent of the world’s population lives in countries where the so-called marriage rate is steadily declining, according to the UH website.
Better to Be Alone Than with Just Anyone
Researchers identified several reasons why an increasing number of women prefer not to marry. Among these are the desire for independence, infidelity of partners, and expanded career opportunities. Respondents also cited the wish to protect themselves from potential domestic violence.
According to Dina Hannaford, historically, marriage has often not been equated with a happy life for women worldwide, leading them to seek alternative solutions. Now, new opportunities are opening up for women. They can be full members of society without being married, the researcher added.
Many educated women who are thriving in their careers believe it is better to be single. After all, it’s not easy to find a man who matches them intellectually. However, they often find the emotional and intellectual support they need through friendships and family connections.
As the researchers noted, women are increasingly feeling less of a need to simply “be behind a man.” They aspire to self-improvement, personal growth, and self-development. They choose how to spend their time independently, without consulting a partner.
Dina Hannaford emphasized that the research is not intended to encourage women to reject marriage. Instead, it invites reflection on whether marriage is the only acceptable and best option for modern individuals in society.
