Fewer
people are getting married. Although the decline in marriage is true of all
races, black women seem to be feeling the impact of this new trend the most.
Why are more black women choosing not to marry? The following are some reasons
why:
*Independence
Some
women, whether Black or not, don’t marry because they don’t want to give up
their independence. Being single does
have several perks. A single woman can go where she wants whenever she wants.
She can go to bed when she wants to. She cooks when she feels like it. Best of all, she can watch whatever she wants
to on television and not have to give up some of her viewing time to watch
football.
*Lack
of Black Men
One
of the main reasons black women aren’t married is because there is a lack of
available black men. A large number of black men are in jail, gay, or dating
outside of the race. African American men represent a high percentage of men in
the criminal justice system. According to the Henry J. KAISER FAMILY Foundation,
young black men are more than likely to be incarcerated than Hispanic men or
white men. There is also a shortage of available black men in certain
geographical areas. Black women who really want to marry have to look at
interracial dating. Basically, eligible black men are becoming a rare commodity.
*Lack
of a Financially Equal
As
more and more African American women are moving up the financial ladder, they
are looking for mates who can met or match their income levels. Black women are
graduating from college at a higher rate than black men. Some black women are
just not going to settle for a man who makes considerably less than they
do. As a result, they are choosing to
remain single.
*Too busy
Establishing
a career can be exhausting. So, instead
of actively looking for a mate, some black women are opting to remain single
and concentrate on their careers. It just doesn’t seem possible to juggle a successful
career and a husband.
*Past
Hurts
Some
black women choose not to marry because they have been emotionally
wounded. They have experienced a hurt so
deep that they feel like they have a lost a piece of themselves, and they just
aren’t up to the challenge of trying it again.
In
conclusion, as times are changing so are marriage trends. Black women no longer
have to rely on a man for financial support or emotional support. They are
paving their own way in society. Whether
it is because they are too busy, wounded from past relationships, or not
willing to be unequally yoked, some black women are choosing not to marry.
