The Strategic Singlehood of Black Women

Single lives were often lives of freedom and security. The women appreciated the opportunities singlehood offered them to pursue adventures and explorations, “to enjoy life at their own pace and for their own reasons,” and to “side-step gendered responsibilities that eat up time, money, and autonomy.” By living single, the women felt that they were also more likely to be spared “problems with money, lying, problematic management of the home, and emotional inconsistency.” They were not saying that all romantic partners pose those risks, but that by living single, they were more likely to be safe from those risks.

The lives of the single Black women were purposeful ones. They devoted the time they spent single to the pursuit of important life goals including:

1. Education

2. Travel

3. Employment and entrepreneurship

4. Financial planning, money management, and property ownership

5. Emotional growth and self-discovery

6. Spiritual growth

7. Community involvement

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