Intersectionality in studying and theorizing singlehood

Abstract

This article underscores the importance of recognizing the diversity and intricacy of singlehood and transcending a simplistic view of singles as a monolithic group. By adopting an intersectional approach, researchers can obtain a deeper understanding of singles' experiences and identify their unique needs. Moreover, this understanding has profound implications for social justice endeavors, as singles may encounter compounded discrimination and necessitate deliberate communities and social policies that support them. Specifically, we advance here a four‐fold argument. First, singlehood should not only be viewed as a demographic characteristic but also as a chosen status and identity. In turn, researchers must acknowledge divisions such as race, gender, class, and sexuality within this overarching category. Third, intersectionality must be analyzed in its compound and intricate effects, as singlehood intertwines with other categories in distinct ways. Fourth, this carries far‐reaching implications, and intersectionality can serve as a critical praxis that informs social justice initiatives.

Single and flourishing: Transcending the deficit narratives of single life

“…A close look at the many available studies reveals that it is sometimes the people who stayed single who do the best (DePaulo, 2015b)-even though, as I've shown, the literature is biased by the relative neglect of the study of the ways in which single people are likely to excel. Often, the implications of marrying or becoming coupled depend on different characteristics, or intersections of characteristics, such as gender, age, race, and cohort (DePaulo, 2015b;Kislev & Marsh, 2023). There is no one coherent, universal "happily ever after" narrative of what it means to get married or become coupled.…”

“…In societies in which marriage is especially valued and single life is particularly stigmatized, it will be more challenging for single people to embrace their single lives. Racism, sexism, and ageism can render the pursuit of single life more daunting for some single people than others (Kislev & Marsh, 2023). Single people who are struggling economically, who have health problems or who are living with disabilities, or who have caring obligations cannot so easily travel the world.…”

Kaleidoscopic perspectives on theorizing singlehood

“…The work by Kislev and Marsh (2023) complements DePaulo's work, making a case for singlehood as a social identity rather than a relationship status. This means that singlehood represents a varying set of cognitive and behavioral characteristics, which may depend to some extent on whether singlehood is part of an individual's identity.…”

“…Rounding out the papers that focus on a specific age group is Jordan and Martin ( 2023), who introduce a conceptual model built from life course theory to explore social determinants of health for single African American older adults. In building from Kislev and Marsh's (2023) call for an intersectional perspective on singlehood, Jordan and Martin analyze singlehood, race, and age among other factors (e.g., loneliness, self-fulfillment, culture) that influence later life health and longevity. Particularly, they explore the individual, family, social, and financial resources and stressors, which predict health and longevity.…”

“…Building on this, Beckmeyer and Jamison (2023) demonstrate that singlehood in young adulthood allows for exploration of identity through self-reflection, education, and relationships broadly when romantic relationships may be a barrier. DePaulo (2023) and Kislev and Marsh (2023) specifically discuss singlehood as a chosen identity, and Fitzpatrick (2023) distinguishes voluntary and involuntary singlehood. However, Bergström and Brée (2023) argue that singlehood should be approached as status rather than identity because there is not a singular understanding or definition of "single," as singlehood is a period of life and differs across the life course.…”