Who knew that last week (September 20-26) was Unmarried and Single Americans Week. It caught my attention because as a single American we often get the shaft in terms of attention paid on how things impact us because usually the focus is on families and couples.
The week is to recognize the vast growth of single Americans which has now reached 100 million, and women make up over half at 51 million. Statistically it makes sense that there are more unmarried women than ever before, but for those of us single later in life sometimes it’s hard to believe after attending our 100th wedding and “I lost count” baby shower. But I digress. Back to the single ladies!
Sex and the City wanted us to believe that a single woman’s life is full of glitz and glam, but for many women it’s not. Single women nationwide are struggling to support themselves in this tough economy and for those that are single moms, it’s even harder. About 10 million women are single moms with young children at home and these women are working hard everyday to make sure they can support their families.
Last month, the unemployment rate for unmarried women was 11.9 percent compared to 9.7 percent for the entire workforce. That coupled with the wage gap, which still hovers at 77 cents for every dollar a man earns, and single women are at a disadvantage. Unmarried women are less likely to have health insurance, own a home, or even own a car. They also count for almost half of all American adults who live in poverty, and last year 21 out of every 1,000 single mothers filed for bankruptcy.
Today women have options when it comes to marriage or staying single. The old assumption that a woman must get married by a certain age thankfully no longer applies, and women have the freedom to make the choice that’s right for them. Women have the option to develop their careers first and then get married, or decide to build a life on their own with or without a partner.
While the vast majority of young women are expected to marry at some point, what many need to realize is that they will spend a good amount of their lives alone. Marriage is not without change and if a woman’s marriage ends for any reason, she will need to be prepared to support herself and any children. Katie Couric said it well during her commencement speech to Princeton’s graduating class that the female grads shouldn’t bank on an MRS degree. “You may also have a dream of being married and having a family, and at some point the career may take a backseat. There is no more challenging, rewarding or important job than being a mom. I just want to say this—sometimes dreams of domestic bliss are interrupted by reality. People get divorced. People die. You need to protect yourself,” she said.
Because women are waiting to get married, many are learning how to live on their own the first decade or more after school. During this time it’s important for women to learn how to handle finances and save money, the direction of their career, and most importantly who they are, what drives their passion, and life goals.
Since the 2004 election, single women have been viewed as an important and needed voting block to win a political race. In the most recent election, over 2.6 million more unmarried women voted than just four years ago and about 7 million more since 2000. And when unmarried women vote, they are more likely to support progressive causes like reforming health care, protecting the environment, investing in education, and raising the minimum wage.
One of my favorite episodes of Sex and the City was when Miranda buys an apartment in New York City by herself. She was 34 years old and as she’s signing the papers the lender keeps asking if it “was just her”. She of course replied a few times, “yes, it’s just me”. Single women are breaking down barriers like never before yet society still has to catch up with accepting their non-married status.
Single women are a force in this economy and they will help to repair the recession by being consumers, home buyers and investors. But they also need help and assistance because they are struggling to survive on their own and in many cases support their children. They shouldn’t be discounted but instead valued as an important demographic that is helping our economy and raising our children.
Employers Should Care What Women Veterans Think
Sprint’s inclusive workplace programs have allowed the company to foster the best talent and ideas from its diverse workforce. Employees with a variety of backgrounds and experiences are able to approach challenges form differing viewpoints, creating solutions that may not have been possible had everyone been looking at things in exactly the same way.
Former President Clinton’s initiative includes commitment to women and girls. [
So what can be done about the persisting wage gap? First education about equal pay must continue so that citizens have a keen understanding about its ramifications. In addition, advocates can turn their attention to legislation at the state level. In Louisiana, there is a bill entitled the “Louisiana Equal Pay Act” which would prohibit employers from paying compensation that discriminates against employees on the basis of gender. During this year’s state legislative session the bill passed out of the House Labor Committee, but failed to pass the full House.
Sometimes a slow blog day means we were busy twittering. Catch the same YWM sass over on 
No matter your politics, YWM wants to hear from you on healthcare reform.
