If you’re single like I am, there’s a pretty good chance that you woke up alone this morning. There’s also a pretty good chance that you didn’t wake up alone. Single moms and dads have kids. Single dating partners have each other. And, single urban dwellers often have roommates. Moral of the story? Single households come in all shapes and sizes, and single doesn’t always mean solo.
Single people unite. It’s time to celebrate. Unmarried & Single Americans Week is September 16 – 22. According to the US Census, more than 40% of American adults are single. What does that mean? Well, if you lump all 92 million of us single Americans adults together, 25% of us were married at some point in our lives but we are now divorced. Fifteen percent of us are widows because our spouses went and died on us. The rest of us? The majority (60%) of single people in the United States have never been married. But, that doesn’t mean we’re all sad, lonely, and singing and blues. Some of us are happily living with our partners while we do our thing like Oprah & Stedman, Bratt Pitt & Angelina Jolie, and so many other adults who choose not to get married. That’s nice to know, right? But, what is “Unmarried & Single Americans Week” and why do we need it? A group called the Buckeye Singles Council started the idea of a national singles week in Ohio back in the 1980s as a way to recognize singles and the contributions that we make to society. Isn’t that special? It’s good to be a single person. So, stand up and be counted as one.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Vive les singletons! I think the Noah’s arc expectation that everyone pair up can be a bit confining. Isn’t it possible that singletons can be fulfilled and happy, traveling, dating, experiencing the world without being tied down?
Well Happy Singles Week from a 35 never been married gal. It is funny when I think about it, I do find that now I am starting to wish for the whole married thing but I also appreciate and enjoy my singleness for the wonderfulness that it is. So until the day comes where I am not a Fab Single…happy single’s week ya’ll :)
@ blackfemme: Exactly. Couldn’t have said it better myself. Not only is it possible that singletons can be “fulfilled and happy, traveling, dating, experiencing the world without being tied down” — for now, I actually *prefer* it that way.
@ Felicia: YAY!!! Felicia’s a singleton!! HAPPY SINGLES WEEK to you, girl. It’s okay to hope for marriage but, for the record, I like having you in the little singled club for as long as we get to keep you. :-)
So what is the appropriate way to celebrate National Singles Week? I’m sure you have some suggestions, FunkyB! :-)
Hmmm … I guess the celebrations that would be the most fun would be the ones that involve having sex with our of our fellow single people? ;)
As somebody who was single for the first 30-and-a-few years of life and no longer am, I’d have to say that I like things better the way they are now. I don’t view being married as being “tied down”, I like to think of it as being “tied up”… uh, oops, revealed a little too much there.
All that having been said, I wish all you single people a Happy Single Week. Have a blast doing all those singly things that you do, whatever they are!
Thanks for the Happy Singles week wishes! :)