This paper presents an in-depth discussion about the changing .
relationship between women and marriage. Economic factors, a rise in .
feminism, parents' influence, attitudes about sex, educational .
pursuits, and divorce statistics are discussed and their influence on .
women's attitudes toward marriage are explored. Cultural changes that .
have impacted women's lives are also examined. The purpose of the .
paper is to explore the changes affecting women, their attitudes .
toward marriage, and their expectations of marriage. This paper will .
primarily concentrate on the question of why women delay marriage. The .
sources used to develop this paper are published journals, the text .
for this course along with other books related to this issue, and the .
Internet. .
The Changing Relationship Between Women and Marriage.
Over the past four decades there has been substantial changes .
in the attitudes toward marriage among women in the United States. .
These attitudes relate to gender roles and social changes in today's .
society and have contributed to women marrying later than their .
ancestors married. Studies show American women are waiting longer.
than ever to get married. Their median age at first marriage hit a .
record high of 24.5 years in 1994, up from 20 years in the mid 1950's .
(Crispell, 1996). That's the oldest age since the Census Bureau .
started to ask about age at marriage in 1890. Of course postponing .
marriage means an increase, at any given time, in the number of people.
who have never wed, and that is also reflected in the census study. .
From 1970 to 1994 the number of Americans aged 18 and over who never .
married more than doubled from 21.4 million to 44.2 million. .
Additionally, women may be less likely to marry in the future. .
Projections show the proportion of never married women increasing .
between 1992 and 2010 for all age groups under 55 (Crispell).
According to Allen & Kalish (1984), the timing of a first .
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