Once upon a time, in the bustling land of America, getting married was as predictable as apple pie at a Fourth of July picnic. But nowadays, it seems like the dream of tying the knot is about as popular as a kale smoothie at a Texas barbecue. A recent poll has unveiled a surprising change in young women’s attitudes: fewer are eager to walk down the aisle, with only 61% saying they want to get married, compared to 74% of young men who still have that dream.
Folks are wondering just what’s behind this shift. Is it the push for career success or perhaps a wave of feminist ideals sweeping across college campuses? A spirited commentator recently whipped up quite the theory—it’s all about housing. Yes, you heard that right. The dream of homeownership, with picket fences and all, has become nothing more than a fantasy for many young Americans. Since the median age of first-time homebuyers has reached 36—a number that would make our forefathers spin in their graves—many believe this is a key reason young women are snubbing marriage and family life.
On college tours across the country, the message is clear: young men are eager for marriage, but where are they supposed to take their bride after the wedding? Back to the frat house? Talk about a romance buzzkill. And young women, well, they laugh at the idea of raising kids in cramped apartments where the only neighborly greetings are from elevators reeking of dog poop. The crux of the matter is simple: without affordable housing, the whole American family dream comes to a screeching halt.
Making a case for what’s become known as the gerontocracy—a lovely term for an older generation hogging all the resources—some argue that policies favoring the seasoned folks have left the young ones out in the cold. With older men holding all the aces in the dating game, it’s no surprise that young women are looking for something more, or even contemplating a move to supposedly greener pastures in Europe. However, they might be shocked to find out that Europe is not exactly the paradise it’s often painted to be when it comes to some issues, like abortion rights.
To add some humor to the mix, one columnist mused about funding young left-leaning women’s tickets to the world’s “dreamiest” socialist havens, expecting they’d be rushing back to America’s warm embrace soon enough. The underlying message? Experience life outside of America’s bountiful borders, get a taste of the chaos, and you might just appreciate what you have at home. For now, the debate rages on, with conservative commentators itching to chart a new course that brings young Americans back to the traditional, yet promising path of marriage, family, and yes, that mythical home with a white picket fence.
