I think the perception that unmarried individuals are less happy than married ones just reflects the idea that marriage is the ultimate goal and necessary to achieve happiness, which, as shown, is not always true. It’s strange to me, because I’ve seen so many abusive, strained, and unhappy marriages and so many divorces that I would think people would be much more cautious about marriage. In my family, marriage is viewed this way, as a very necessary step in life, and one that should be taken early. I am open to the idea of that kind of depth in love, and maybe I’ll feel differently once I’ve experienced it, but at this point in my life, I do not see marriage as something desirable or even useful for me.

The idea of interdependence versus self-sufficiency is brought up many times in this article. I don’t think that marriage should be used a crutch, however it often is, especially for the woman. I think marriages should be well balanced, with two self-sufficient individuals joining together. Some degree of interdependence can be expected, but the individual should remain an individual. I am opposed to the practice of women changing their names when married. This is a European tradition that literally changes the identity of the woman into the property of her husband by changing her name. The same practice was used for slaves, once bought by a master; the slave’s last name would change to reflect ownership. I come from a Middle Eastern background, where the idea is held that you are who you are, whether or not you are married. Middle Eastern women generally do not practice name changes.

While I’m sure there are people who would like to be married but simply haven’t found someone, this article shows that this is not the majority. The other view presented in the article, that the unmarried individual is somehow flawed and incapable of finding a mate, is false. Some people are self-reliant and find joy from other aspects of their life.
—Yasmine El-Safy