Valentine's is in full swing, and with all the love celebrations in the air, we don't forget those who spend the day alone.
A new study led by the Hebrew University brings up alarming data, and reveals that late celibacy over the age of 30 has a more negative effect on women than on men.
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While the percentage of unmarried people aged 30-49 has more than doubled in the last 25 years, a new study led by the Hebrew University finds a substantial gender gap between single men and women in Israel.
The findings of the research, which was conducted as part of the thesis work of the student Keren Eisen, under the guidance of Dr. Eliakim Kislo from the Federman School of Public Policy and Government, show that the differences in the way single women and single men are treated affect their functioning socially, mentally and even at the level of the labor market.
From many studies conducted in recent years it appears that Israel is placed in a very low place in an international comparison in terms of the level of happiness of single men and women.
"Israeli society still places a high value on family and marital life," explains Dr. Keslo, adding: "This means that single men and women after the socially acceptable age experience a stigma that affects their level of happiness, whether they are single by choice or by necessity." The current study was based on About a series of in-depth interviews with unmarried women and men, who live a significant part of their 30s as bachelors. "Through the gender comparison, we wanted to understand the differences, challenges and different needs in the singleness experience between men and women - and how it affects their lives," explains Eisen. .
The social expectations of women and men are not the same, photo: Vertical
The findings show that the way in which the Israeli public perceives late singleness among women compared to men, affects their social and mental functioning - and even at the professional level in the labor market.
It was found that unmarried women experience the stigma and negative discrimination in a more severe way compared to men, due to traditional social perceptions of the woman's role as mother and wife.
Eisen explains: "Single women are seen as desperate, resentful, difficult, lonely and dangerous. Many perceive them as women who have something wrong with them, it's really a sign of disgrace, and they contain this perception in criticism and self-judgment that lead to an increased feeling of loneliness."
Also, while men define themselves as 'single by choice', the expectation for women is to compromise in order not to miss the train.
"We saw that the word compromise is not a central part of the discussion about singleness among men, compared to the women from whom society expects to compromise on the relationship," emphasizes Dr. Keslo.
In addition, single women encounter their personal situation also in the labor market, unlike men.
The researchers explain that by virtue of being women, they are sometimes presented with fewer opportunities for growth and development, and they suffer from pay gaps compared to men.
"If they do not fulfill their social-gender role, they are expected to compensate for it in the workplace, in overtime without additional pay, with benefits to which they are not entitled, as well as rest days given to those who are in a relationship."
Despite this, it is important to note that the marital status of the single women allows them to advance in the job ladder - progress that was slow with family and relationship.
Men are not affected by late celibacy to the same extent, photo: GettyImages
According to Dr. Keslo, "These findings emphasize the need for the state to make institutional and social changes in order to make it easier for unmarried women." Such changes will normalize the lives of single women, reduce the institutional discrimination experienced by single women, and allow them to integrate better into society and live as individuality. However, it is important to emphasize that the women themselves also have a substantial part in promoting the agenda in Eden in order to lead to an overall social change. Dr. Keslo concludes that future studies will deal with additional aspects of single life in Israel compared to other countries, in order to understand and learn how social change It was distributed in other places.
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