There are those of us who are happily married or in other relationships with a significant other. It works for us. Then there are those who are single. This works for them. Both sets of people can be perfectly happy with their status – single or otherwise. However, there are a lot of expectations that society and family and friends have – these expectations translate into pressure. Emma Watson of Harry Potter fame expressed a similar view when she described herself as ‘self-partnered’
In a recent interview with British Vogue, Emma Watson spoke about her upcoming film Little Women as well as the social pressure around turning 30 while still being single.
It is a fact that family and society as a whole expect individuals to ‘settle down’ at a certain point in their lives. If they aren’t, they are questioned and doubted and given a whole lot of unwanted advice. This is a lot of unwanted pressure.
Watson sends out the message that being single is fine. As someone who is known to have very progressive and empathetic views on a range of important social issues, her words are impactful and comforting for many.
Watson received a lot of mockery and scorn for coining a term that many saw as silly and/or overly politically correct.
Watson received a lot of hate for the new term she seems to have coined. There were those who thought that it’s all a bit pretentious and that Watson is just making excuses because she is single.
People typically warn singles about loneliness and a lack of fulfilment in life; making them feel inadequate and anxious. This tweet exemplifies exactly, the sort of social pressure that Watson speaks of.
The tweeple also acknowledged that families tend not to take too kindly to those who choose to be single; their disapproval and pressure obvious to see.
It was a freewheeling interview covering a lot of different subjects; not just about being single. Watson comes across as evolved, empathetic, aware and intelligent.
This is important, pointed out a lot of the people. Watson shifts the emphasis here. She reclassifies being single as self-partnered – underlining the importance of having a good relationship with one's own self.
Many identified with the term self-partnered and were happy to call themselves the same.
There were those who had more options to suggest; particularly pet owners.
This tweet makes the distinction between being single and making the choice to be single.
While many went out of their way to heap hate and scorn on Emma Watson, she makes a very valid point when she uses the term #SelfPartnered for herself. It’s important to like yourself; to be happy with yourself and by yourself.
She emphasises the importance of being an autonomous individual. It speaks about emotional self-sufficiency that does not seek validation from others and doesn’t depend upon others to feel happy and satisfied.
It speaks out against the pressure to be in a relationship which makes so many people compromise and settle for relationships that may not even be good for them.
As importantly, the term #SelfPartnered make the case that single people shouldn’t be made to feel inadequate. Unfortunately, friends, family and society as a whole, have a nasty habit of doing exactly that.
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