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51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse
New York Times ^ | 16 January 2007 | Sam Roberts

Posted on 01/16/2007 10:04:04 AM PST by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: culturalentropy; increasing; single; women
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To: Centurion2000

Oh yea, living off that child support is real easy. And that's when you actually GET the child support.


21 posted on 01/16/2007 10:22:52 AM PST by Hildy (Words are mere bubbles of water...but deeds are drops of gold.)
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To: shrinkermd
51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse

Makes it sooooo much easier for me to get dates. :)

Always look for the upside to stuff!

22 posted on 01/16/2007 10:23:18 AM PST by Fierce Allegiance ("Campers laugh at clowns behind closed doors.")
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Comment #23 Removed by Moderator

To: Perdogg

lots easier to get all the welfare when single. free food, cash assistance, medical insurance, cheap housing, utilities paid, free daycare, huge tax breaks, etc.
also, child support is not counted when looking at their income. A woman could be getting thousands a month in child support, but working part time for low pay, and get everything handed to her by the government. All she has to pay for is her car.


24 posted on 01/16/2007 10:25:23 AM PST by absolootezer0 (stop repeat offenders - don't re-elect them!)
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To: shrinkermd
more American women are living without a husband than with one

Woooooooow.

Boys especially need a father in the home, both as a role model, and as a disciplinarian. So many social ills can be traced to this phenomenon.

25 posted on 01/16/2007 10:25:33 AM PST by Aquinasfan (When you find "Sola Scriptura" in the Bible, let me know)
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To: shrinkermd

Does that mean 49% of men live without a spouse?


26 posted on 01/16/2007 10:25:47 AM PST by Indy Pendance
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To: shrinkermd
Men and women no longer need each other to survive.

In the distant past, women needed men to hunt the game, plant/harvest the crops, etc.

Men in turn needed a woman to cook and preserve food, make clothes, etc.

Nowadays we have WalMart.

27 posted on 01/16/2007 10:25:50 AM PST by FReepaholic (If daydreaming were an Olympic sport I'd be a gold medalist.)
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To: linda_22003

How do we know that wasn't by choice? Any ethylene glycol in the toxicology reports?


28 posted on 01/16/2007 10:25:59 AM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: Perdogg
I cannot believe how many women I run into who are single mothers by choice.

I can't believe how badly most of them want a date.

29 posted on 01/16/2007 10:26:01 AM PST by HitmanLV (Rock, Rock, Rock and Rollergames! Rockin' & Rolling, Rockin' with Rollergames!)
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To: river rat

"Look how many men are looking elsewhere for a wife.. "


I looked around at the folks I know, not a one is "looking elsewhere" for a wife...I wonder about guys that need to "look elsewhere", I suspect something wrong with them...


30 posted on 01/16/2007 10:26:01 AM PST by dakine
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To: shrinkermd

I was a single mom once and I hated it! I'm no longer a single mom and choose to live with a wonderful man, husband, father. More women need to see that children need a family!


31 posted on 01/16/2007 10:26:57 AM PST by Halls (i love my boys!)
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To: Hildy
Oh yea, living off that child support is real easy. And that's when you actually GET the child support.

Heh Heh - Child Support is but one piece of the huge redistribution puzzle.

32 posted on 01/16/2007 10:27:27 AM PST by meyer (Bring back the Contract with America and you'll bring back the Republican majority.)
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To: Perdogg

they can get the financial support through alimony and child support, with none of the responsibilities associated with having the husband living at home. in many cases, this was exactly the reason they got married in the first place - this was their plan.


33 posted on 01/16/2007 10:27:40 AM PST by oceanview
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To: meyer

HUH? You want to explain that?


34 posted on 01/16/2007 10:27:56 AM PST by Hildy (Words are mere bubbles of water...but deeds are drops of gold.)
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To: Wally_Kalbacken

Lymphoma of the brain is a tough way out, so I am sure it was not by choice. Your joke is feeble, but it may be the best you can do. :)


35 posted on 01/16/2007 10:28:27 AM PST by linda_22003
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To: river rat

why are tattoos part of your equation?


36 posted on 01/16/2007 10:28:39 AM PST by absolootezer0 (stop repeat offenders - don't re-elect them!)
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To: 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..

That's a strong factor, too. I know many people who insist they are 'great catches' but the opposite sex leaves them alone, or when they get to know them they run away. This is true for men and women. A person tends to be rejected by the opposite sex for substantive, rather than shallow reasons.

Another handicap many single mothers have is that many men just don't want to get involved in a long term relationship with a woman with children. Not all, but many. I know I never would.

37 posted on 01/16/2007 10:28:52 AM PST by HitmanLV (Rock, Rock, Rock and Rollergames! Rockin' & Rolling, Rockin' with Rollergames!)
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To: Always Right
I bet that a large number of women "living without a spouse" are women living with some guy......and many of those guys are ex husbands or boyfriends of other women.....

for every woman without a "spouse" there is a man without a spouse....it goes both ways.....

the Playboy philosophy is coming full cirle....

and people will say that morality has nothing to do with anything......

38 posted on 01/16/2007 10:28:53 AM PST by cherry
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To: shrinkermd

49% of men breathe a sigh of relief.


39 posted on 01/16/2007 10:29:01 AM PST by winodog
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To: paul51

Oh my... I guess I'm going to be hit big time, but I am a single woman... divorced after raising our family. I have a wonderful job that requires travel about 50% of the time. I never would have done that with a husband and/or family. So I am enjoying seeing the world!

My marriage was horrible at the end and I was hurt deep to the core. I'm not willing to experience that kind of hurt ever again. I am enjoying my freedom and my life in a way I never thought possible.

I am free to serve the Lord in the way He directs. I am free to enjoy my grandkids to the fullest and can for the first time in my life, enjoy friendships.

I am not ugly or stupid or crude or any of the other negative traits another poster suggested as a reason for not having a husband. I just choose to be single. I was married and would have remained so because I believe that is what you do as directed by God. He divorced me, but I still believe that he was my husband... now he is no longer but that doesn't give me a reason to take another.

The Lord has provided for me in a way that no man could do. Would I have liked to have that perfect marriage? Sure, I love family and my dream was to have the American family.

Fortunately in this day and age, marriage isn't the only way to financial security, there are so many other reasons to be married. I just choose my very peaceful and fulfilled single life.


40 posted on 01/16/2007 10:29:43 AM PST by myrabach
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