February 11, 2009 5:29 PM

More Women Saying "I Don't"

By
Melissa McNamara
(CBS)  Carrie and her "Sex And The City" gal pals wanted a husband, right? But they turned their backs on the bouquet.

Turns out, they're not alone, CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace reports. For the first time, more women in America are unmarried than married. Women like 29-year-old Jessica Cohen of New York. "We don't need men anymore," she says. "I mean, we want men, we want someone to share everything with, but I don't think we need to rush."

According to a New York Times analysis of census results, 35 percent of women in the "Ozzie and Harriet" days of the 1950s were single. That number jumped to 49 percent in 2000 and to 51 percent in 2005.

Why the trend in saying "I don't?" Younger women are marrying later or just living with someone instead, while older women are living longer than their husbands and are choosing not to take another walk down the aisle.

"I've been through two marriages, and single is better for me," one woman explained.

Another reason: More women are working and supporting themselves.

"If they didn't find that guy that just clicked with them at a certain point in time, they didn't give up. They decided, 'I'll just do a little bit more of my career. I'll look a little longer,'" says William Frey, of the Brookings Institution.

And culturally, it's more acceptable to be single. Think of Angelina, living with Brad and the kids without a ring.

It's not just Hollywood stars. It's real women everywhere.

As one Dallas woman explains, "I'm single right now and I feel actually happy about it."

A Miami woman says the best part of being single is "you can flirt a little bit."

And in downtown Los Angeles, Jessica says, "I want to get married so I can have kids, make my Mom happy, my Dad too."

She'd rather not belong to the new majority.

Copyright 2009 CBS. All rights reserved.
Add a Comment See all 38 Comments
by charliemadison March 25, 2009 5:46 AM EDT
I think it is correct. As men also thinking these days to remain single it should be a welcome thing from women. But this kind of thinking is somewhat radical which affects the future of society. If everyone remain single and no reproduction then the society vanishes when they die. They should rethink. So all I suggest is that women and men should not remain singles. They should go for a date. For more information on dating please check the following link.
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by charliemadison March 25, 2009 5:43 AM EDT
I think it is correct. As men also thinking these days to remain single it should be a welcome thing from women. But this kind of thinking is somewhat radical which affects the future of society. If everyone remain single and no reproduction then the society vanishes when they die. They should rethink. So all I suggest is that women and men should not remain singles. They should go for a date. For more information on dating please check the following link.
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by ncsu-scad January 19, 2007 2:32 PM EST
jimp18: I agree with your statement, I myself am in the category of 30-something women that doesn%u2019t feel the overpowering need to get married, but would want to if the right guy came along. (We could then have a very enticing conversation about wants vs. needs).

But in response to your comment about 40+ women who want to just marry any guy%u2026 I think I%u2019ve meet more 40 married women AND men who have a tendency, when speaking of their spouse, can%u2019t do so without rolling their eyes and letting out an %u201Coh jeez!%u201D type of groan. I guess the grass is always greener on the other side.
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by beachgremlin January 18, 2007 10:38 PM EST
The Marital Status table on the Census Bureau Factfinder website (factfinder.census.gov) reports the following for year 2005 census data:
51% of females 15 years and older are now married (except separated);
9.4% of females 15 years and older are widowed;
11.5% of females 15 years and older are divorced;
2.6% of females 15 years and older are separated; and
25.5% of females 15 years and older are never married.
Does anyone know the source or authority for the reported 51% not married?
Reply to this comment
by jimcbr January 18, 2007 8:39 PM EST
OK, women may not NEED men, but I've never met a 30-something single woman that didn't WANT to get married, if the right guy came along. I've also never met a 40-something single woman that didn't want to get married if ANY guy came along.
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