51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse

New York Times ^ | 16 January 2007 | Sam Roberts

[shrinkermd]

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.

[shrinkermd]

FYI

[Perdogg]

I cannot believe how many women I run into who are single mothers by choice.

[Always Right]

I guess the fruits of women's liberation are finally here.

[digger48]

I thought this was the feminist goal?

[elc]

And of course, women are living longer than men...

[Centurion2000]

I cannot believe how many women I run into who are single mothers by choice.

Well when they have the $$$ from the father and none of the obligations; I'm sure they are happy.

Child support collection makes the IRS look tame.

[concerned about politics]

Coupled with the fact that in 2005 married couples became a minority of all American households for the first time

That's makes them a minority. That makes them a protected class. It's now hate speech to say anything against them.

[wideawake]

sometimes delighting in their newfound freedom

Being married is slavery and a husband's death causes delight.

Thanks for the subtlety, MSM.

[concerned about politics]

In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse

Are they happy?
I like being a stay home mom and wife. It's the best job in the world. I only have to work one job instead of two.

[paul51]

And of course, women are living longer than men...

Why do most married men die before their spouses?...............Because they want to.

[meyer]

Gloria "Fish without a Bicycle" Steinem must be awfully proud.

The fish does without the bicycle as long as the fish can have a significant portion of the bicycle's earnings.

[river rat]

Hell - too many of the women out there not only don't have a husband, or think they don't need a husband - actually couldn't attract an intelligent or responsible husband..

Who in hell wants to marry the current version of "woman" that far too many women in America represent?

Tattooed, half naked in public, jumping into the sack with at the drop of a hat and then burdened with the result of that "free and self expressive" life...

Loud, uncouth, unclean, unnatural, unfeminine, tattoos, bastard children in tow, drug dependent and a potential carrier of STDs...

American women have been ill served by the "feminist" movement..
Look how many men are looking elsewhere for a wife..

Semper Fi

[popdonnelly]

Throw in the guys who watch the tube all the time, and the number of spouseless women goes up.

[paul51]

sometimes delighting in their newfound freedom

And spousal and 'child support' payments

[linda_22003]

Not all women are without spouses by choice. Steinem herself has been widowed for the last three years.

[HarmlessLovableFuzzball]

In an ideal feminist's world -- a woman will have possession of the man's house, car, kids,money, yacths, jet ..whatever else, she will sleep with a different man each week and have at least one abortion every year 8 months into her pregnancy ..hopefully they will be twins each time so she can get 2 for 1 deals.

[mr_hammer]

"WHO"S YOUR DADDY NOW?"

Why the government...of course!

[spintreebob]

Am I inferring correctly from the article that the article thinks women want it this way?

I'd like to know what percent of each sub-group want to be without spouse and what percent want to be with spouse? I'll bet there are significant percentages in both the Yes and No columns.

Group Want to be with a spouse
. . . . . . . Yes No
Never Married
Divorced, etc
Work/Military, etc
Widowed, etc

So one question to ask is why women who want to be with a spouse refuse to settle on a man who wants them and why women hold out for some idealized prince charming.

Another question is why some women do not want to be with a spouse. Do they really prefer the single life? Or have they given up on finding prince charming? Or what?

In both my IT and white collar contacts, and in my blue collar contacts, virtually every available woman wants to be with a spouse, but wants something different/better than the many available men she meets. The available men are typically boring hard workers, nerds, geeks, etc. The women are looking for someone who will both provide money and ENTERTAIN them, be romantic, etc. The hard working available men are not Hugh Grant, not even Fedex.

[concerned about politics]

It's exactly what Marx had envisioned. Look it up.
Women work to support a "union", men stay home and have sex with boys. So far, the sex with boys thing is taking longer than the Marxists thought it would, but they haven't given up. If you've been paying attention to the news lately, you'll see they are getting closer.