Dear Editor,
I am writing to you in regards to the column by Bruce Whitestone entitled The spread of singleom. This article is truly appalling and outlines the persecution and judgement women are still facing in the 21st century.
As women evolve and change in their roles in society it is expected that men acceot these new roles and lifestyles. But that is not the case for many, Mr. Whitestone included.
When he writes regarding the “drawbacks of singledom” he is in direct violation of the rights women have, and have fought so hard for. If he wants to ignore the freedoms of the female population that is his right, but women can be whomever they chose to be nd do whatever they want, preferably without judgement.
Mr. Whitestone, however, seems to view singledom as an illness that society desperately needs to find a cure for, which is not the case. He expresses his concern saying, “Efforts to reverse the spread of singledom have failed.” Is that a bad thing, Mr. Whitestone?
Yes, some women are just waiting for the perfect man to come along so they can start their families and yes, some want to remain single and focas on their careers but there is nothing wrong with either of these scenarios. This is a free country after all, and it was designed to give everyone equal opportunity to do as they choose and design their lifestyle according to what they want and what makes them happy, regardless of their sex.
He discribes singles as “self-centred” and feels they are “ignoring the bliss of…marriage,” which is just plain ignorant. Not to knock those who are happily married but some women, and men for that matter, do not want to be married and again, there is nothing wrong with that, it is their right and their own choice to make and they should not be judged or ridiculed for it, by anyone.
The part that aggrieved me the most was his comment regarding the drwabacks of being single, “Loneliness is obvious.” So apparently, any woman who is not in a committed relationship is lonely. It is like we are back in the Elizabethan Era when, “thy husband [was] thy lord, thy life, thy keeper” (Shakespeare). It is as if Mr. Whitestone does not feel women have anything better to do with their lives than serve a man. He needs to realize that women are just as confident and accomplished as men and are capable of being by themselves without going into a comatose state of loneliness.
Sincerely,
Jessica Lyver
P.S. The only thing more appalling than this demeaning article is the fact that this paper choose to run it. Even today, in a society so progressive, women are being stripped of their dignity for their ambitions and lifestyles.
Jessica Lyver