Do you find fulfilment in being single? Does the chance to focus on your career or friendships fill you with joy? If you answered yes, it seems you’re not alone. That’s because single women have all the fun, according to a new study – well, at least more fun than single men.
In a recent study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science, researchers from the University of Toronto found that single women are more satisfied with their relationship status than men. This goes against what traditional narratives would tell us, like that discontent and a lack of fulfilment are the single woman’s bread and butter. It seems that the opposite is true.
The researchers compiled data from ten other recent studies, involving a total of 5,941 participants, all of which were single. An equal number of men and women took part, with an average age of 31.7 years.
Participants answered surveys indicating their satisfaction with their current relationship status, overall life, sexual activity and desire for a romantic partner. The results painted a clear picture.
Single women reported higher satisfaction with their relationship status than single men, meaning they were happy with being single. Women also reported greater life satisfaction, while single men expressed a stronger desire to find a romantic partner. Contrary to popular belief, women also reported being more sexually fulfilled than single men.
“The finding that surprised me was that single women reported greater sexual satisfaction than single men,’ said study author Elaine Hoan. “Certain theories have argued that women often receive the shorter end of the stick when it comes to sex, as their sexual needs are often deprioritised in bed, but here we actually find that women who are single are enjoying better sex lives.”
The researchers explained that a potential reason that women are happier being single could be that they derive happiness from a broader range of sources, many of them non-romantic. This includes friendships, familial bonds and work relationships. Furthermore, women are more likely to view singlehood as rewarding rather than draining, using it as an opportunity to progress their careers, fitness or other relationships.
“Stereotypes suggest that single women are having a harder time in singlehood, but it was unclear based on the existing research whether these stereotypes actually held up,” Hoan said. “Overall, we found that single women were happier than single men. I hope to understand exactly why we might be seeing these differences in wellbeing across men and women to create an ‘ingredient list’ of how to build a better single life for everyone.”
