How singlehood got the ultimate rebrand

And it's about time

The spinster narrative is officially obsolete, making way for a new wave of singletons who are subbing out expectations for happiness.

When asked to picture a single woman, the opening scene of the iconic 2001 film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, comes to mind. Dressed in flannelette pyjamas, Bridget, played by Renée Zellweger, is watching Frasier on her sofa, with a cigarette in one hand and the TV remote in the other. 

She checks her voicemail, finds ‘no new messages’, and swigs from a generous glass of red, before launching into a particularly tragic rendition of Celine Dion’s “All By Myself”. 

As a character, we love Bridget. But for as long as we can remember, women have been defined by what they don’t have. 

Fast forward 23 years, and the societal pressure to hit certain milestones still remains. But one thing many women are rejecting is the stigma of singlehood. In fact, it’s had one hell of a rebrand. 

According to data from the Body+Soul 2024 Sex Census, 53 per cent of respondents agreed that being single is an important part of self-development, particularly for younger Aussies.

“We are certainly starting to see a seismic shift in the way Australians live and view being single in 2024,” says clinical psychologist, Dr Alissa Knight. “More people are starting to really challenge the notion that being single is some kind of purgatory lifestyle… and proudly talk about flourishing in their life because they are single, not in spite of it.” 

A partner or ring doesn’t guarantee happiness – a lesson some have learnt the hard way. Image: iStock

It’s a mindset shift impacting females in particular. Of course, men experience singlehood, but from Leonardo DiCaprio to George Clooney, when they aren’t dating they’re more or less left alone. Now, women are demanding the same treatment. 

It’s a change somatic sexologist, Georgia Grace, sees in her practice, too. “More people are challenging these ideas around the need and pressure to be in a relationship,” she says. 

So why the rebrand? For starters, “everything’s changing”, adds Grace. “The way religion informs relationships is changing, and people are no longer staying in relationships that feel unhealthy or unfulfilling and enduring it.” 

For others, leaning into singlehood is a response to the trauma that can come with relationships or dating. Image: iStock

In part, it’s due to the disillusionment many have experienced when it comes to traditional ideals. A partner or ring doesn’t guarantee happiness – a lesson some have learnt the hard way. 

“Part of this perspective shift comes from accepting that there are growing numbers of very unhappy people in committed relationships and marriages,” adds Knight. “Plus the rapidly increasing rates of divorce.” 

For others, leaning into singlehood is a response to the trauma that can come with relationships or dating. “Many people have had lots of awful experiences dating – and in sex and relationships – and they need time to heal,” explains Grace. “And being single is the way they do that.” 

As such, more women are structuring their lives in a way that truly feels right for them – which doesn’t always include a sidekick. Image: iStock

Dissatisfied with the relationships on offer – or at least the left-right swipe required to get there – women are dumping expectations in exchange for genuine personal happiness. 

But despite singlehood’s cool-girl upgrade, the yearning for a relationship hasn’t dissipated entirely. “We still have that inherent human desire to connect with others, to be loved by others, to share life and experience things with people we love and trust and are attracted to,” notes Grace. “But we’re seeing a change in how people perceive those who live a single life, and are actively choosing it for themselves.” 

Knight cites the prioritisation of self-care in society: “It’s neither optional nor selfish,” she says. As such, more women are structuring their lives in a way that truly feels right for them – which doesn’t always include a sidekick. After all, they say you have to love yourself before you can love someone else.

Originally published as How singlehood got the ultimate rebrand