Singular Identities Managing Stigma, Resisting Voices

Abstract

This paper argues that single women are stigmatised in contemporary Irish society and that this is particularly evident in people's everyday interactions with single women. Stigmatising interactions are apparent in relation to singleness itself, marital status, the bearing of children and sexuality, indicating the pervasiveness of heterosexual, familistic ideologies in Irish society. The paper describes a set of stigma management strategies deployed by women in response to single stigma. Within these responses, emerging forms of resistance to dominant ideologies of womanhood are evident in women's explanations of 'why I am single'.