Marriage was considered as an arrangement which was legal and religious for sexual expression and legitimate child bearing. The earlier trend of getting married at a younger age has changed. Both men and women remain unmarried or marry later than they did in the past.(Hehner,2013) Many young adults remain unmarried as they don’t want to have a committed relationship. Women value their career more than their traditional roles as mothers and housewives.
As it becomes difficult to balance between work and family many young women choose to remain unmarried. College education and employment has changed the life of women as they have become independent economically. Parenting for many is a burden and with additional cost for children’s education people prefer to enjoy other relationships. Social networking sites help people to seek romance without having to get into a committed relationship. Many options are available for youngsters hence they prefer to remain unmarried. Sexual relationships are not restricted. In the present generation young people look for partners for physical intimacy without any emotional commitment. Cohabitation is permitted where young adults live together without being married. (Berger, pg557) What is got from a marriage like companionship, emotional and physical needs are all available without getting married. With more and more number of couples opting for divorce the institution of marriage is no longer what it was considered to be. As the society is changing to accommodate the lifestyle of the present generation by providing community living and other services for people, there is no compulsion for getting married.
Many people remain single due to different reasons .Some advantages of being single is the freedom from constraints. Career oriented people who are single have the time to fully devote to their job without having to worry about any family issues. Relationships need not be explained and can be carried on without being questioned .Living space and time can be utilized for own needs without having to compromise with people who has conflicting habits. More time is available for personal care and also to pursue a passionate hobby or activity.
Though there is greater acceptance of being single, society is more concerned about single women than men. They are seen negatively and are considered to be lonely and unhappy. They have to face insecurity and displacement. Rude jokes and comments are passed on single women. Constant reminders about their single status in social gathering and concern about the safety of women are some of the problems faced by unmarried women in the society.
Some women are stereotyped as not wanting to get married or ambitious. They are moody, nags who are disinterested in family and children. Independent women are rigid and rule over their husbands. The same way men are considered to be too demanding or the stereotype that he is a player or Peter Pan. He is not realistic or emotional. Individuals may be a victim of circumstances which has made them remain unmarried. At present more people remain unmarried and it is common to see unmarried women have babies.
Traditionally, marriage was considered as a relationship with intimacy and commitment. Emerging adults at present have a number of choices. According to their convenience they lead their lives .The U.S statistic states that only 12percent in the age 18-25 are married.
References
Berger, K.S. (9th Ed) .Developing Person through the Life Span. (Ch.19).
Hehner, E. (2013) .Marriage.
Retrieved from http://www.cs.toronto.edu/~hehner/Marriage.pdf
