Demystifying and Dignifying Singlehood

This book sensitively profiles life worlds of 15 single women by ‘choice or circumstances' using gender lens. It provides a vivid journeys of these women- divorced or always single or widowed who have questioned traditional stereotypes; and brings out complexities and nuances of patriarchal biases, control of sexuality-fertility and labour of women and double standards. Each of the first 15 chapters tells the story of single working women from India, UK and USA as an in-depth self-reflection by the chapter-contributors. The last 2 chapters weave the pearls of collective wisdom in a thread of perspective ‘single as stronger’ and ‘singlehood as an opportunity to develop’. Of course there are fears and anxieties about being labelled as selfish, self-centred, stubborn, headstrong. Social exclusion from kinship and neighbourhood networks also means coping with illness or any other personal crisis without support. At the one end, there is life of freedom, adventure and career-commitment and at the other end of the spectrum there are risks of being ‘taken for a ride’ and potholes of betrayals in personal and professional lives. The testimonies of 15 economically self-dependent women also poignantly captures their oscillation between ‘being strong ‘and ‘being vulnerable’. The book also portrays brave efforts of single women with child and responsibility of elderly care in different socio-cultural, geographical context and their technology aided daily routine.

The last 2 chapters, 16th and 17th, deliver an analytically robust and convincing case for democratisation of gender relations based on mutual respect and need for non-discriminatory policies and practices in the personal, community, corporate and public spheres.

I congratulate the author and 15 women who provided an in-depth account of their heroic and challenging journey in a candid manner.