Just Say No To Single Shaming! + Podcast

On this week’s episode of You Do You, Kaley and I dissect the ins and outs of single-shaming. As always, you’ll have to listen to the podcast if you want to benefit from ALL our wisdom. However, here are three tips to whet your appetite. It’s time for us to de-stigmatize singledom. Unpartnered folks everywhere deserve our support, not our censure!

Photo by Gradikaa Aggi on Unsplash

 

Stop Setting Them Up With Inappropriate People

Single people do not need partners to complete them. With that sentiment in mind, please don’t force setups on unattached friends. Furthermore,if a friend of yours is both single and ready to mingle, don’t just set them up with just anyone. Only become a matchmaker when you believe there’s a legitimate match to be made. Just because two people you know aren’t in relationships, that doesn’t mean they’re destined to be together. Consider, do these individuals share common values? Do I believe they’d like each other’s families? Could I see them enjoying a night on the couch watching Netflix with one another? If the answer to these questions is no, head back to the drawing board.

 

Shut The F-ck Up About Their Biological Clocks 

“I love it when you remind me of the tik tok of my biological clock,” said no one ever. Single people are capable of telling time. They know how old they are. But what they don’t need is for you to play amateur biologist. If you’re not a fertility expert, you’re completely incapable of forecasting when a person’s fertility is set to decline, so don’t even try! Plus, why are you assuming everyone wants kids anyway? Just like you don’t need a partner to be fulfilled, progeny doesn’t necessarily make you happy.

 

Don’t Feel Sorry For Solo Diners 

Now that we’re allowed to dine on patios again, remember they’re not the purview of coupled folks. There’s long been a stigma surrounding single people at restaurants, but how unfair is that? Why should the self-partnered miss out on trying that hot new Thai place around the corner? Single people deserve Pad Thai too! When you see someone dining alone at a restaurant, don’t give them side-eye. Enjoying your own company is something to be proud of!

Sarah Sahagian

Sarah Sahagian

Sarah Sahagian is a feminist writer based in Toronto. Her byline has appeared in such publications as Elle Canada, Flare, Bitch Media, The Toronto Star, and The National Post. She is also the co-host of You Do You: A Dating Podcast. Sarah holds a master’s degree in Gender Studies from The London School of Economics. You can find her on Twitter, where she posts about politics and live-tweets The Bachelor