In legal definitions for interpersonal status, a single person refers to a person who is not in committed relationships, or is not part of a civil union. In common usage, the term single is often used to refer to someone who is not involved in either any type of sexual relationship, romantic relationship, including long-term dating, engagement, marriage, or someone who is 'single by choice'. Single people may participate in dating and other activities to find a long-term partner or spouse.

Reasons people remain single 
People may remain single for a variety of reasons, including (but not limited to):

 Celibacy or sexual abstinence
 Financial duress
 Their mental health
 Pursuing educational or professional advancement
 Lack of suitable partners
 Changes in perceptions of the necessity of marriage
 In some cases, single people may be uninterested in marriage, domestic partnership, or other types of committed relationships.
 Traumatic experiences including domestic violence, dysfunctional family, rape and/or sexual assault
 The increasing trend of marrying later in life and cohabitation

Some single people regard and appreciate solitude as an opportunity. Some people stay single by choice. In addition to choosing singleness as a preferential option, there are also those who forgo marriage due to religious orders that prescribe its forbearance. These religious traditions include:

 The Christian monastics cultures of Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and Coptism
 The specific Buddhist monastic traditions

Single culture in specific countries

United States
According to the United States Bureau of the Census, the fastest-growing household type since the 1980s has been the single person. Previously both socially uncommon and unaccepted due to perceived roles, public awareness, modern socioeconomic factors and increasingly available popular and lengthier education and careers have made the single lifestyle a viable option for many Americans, especially after the Vietnam War.

According to the United States Bureau of the Census, in 2016 single adults counted for over 45% of the US population. 65% of this group had never been married. In 2014, Pew Research Center notes that the highest percentage of never married adults between White, Black, Hispanic and Asian Americans were Black Americans. The same study also projected that about 25% of millennials may not get married.

United Kingdom
Similar to the United States, single-person households have been seen to be increasingly popular in the United Kingdom. In the 2000s, studies found that more citizens were seen to be valuing their career over personal relationships. The increase in single-person households was also partly attributed to the high self-esteem it can offer to some people.

Japan
In Japan, it is not uncommon for citizens to choose to remain single. This has been illustrated with many public figures and celebrities. Women typically value friendships over romantic relationships; many continue to have jobs and marry later, or forego marriage completely.

However, people in Japan who do wish to date have reported that it is difficult to find the time to do so due to being overworked.

South Korea
In South Korea an unofficial holiday called Black Day is observed on 14 April each year by and for single people. Singles who did not receive gifts on Valentine's Day or White Day meet dressed in black and eat jajangmyeon, noodles covered in black bean paste. The dish is one of South Korea's national foods, and is considered a comfort food.

Sweden 
In Stockholm, Sweden, sixty per cent of the people live by themselves.

Terminology
Terminology for singleness varies, usually based on gender, language, and country. Generally singles can be categorized by the following terms: never married, separated, divorced, and widowed.

English
Terms used to describe single men are seldom used, and carry positive connotations. Single men are often simply referred to as bachelors.

The English language has more terms for single, unwed women. These terms typically carry a negative connotation. Single women are sometimes called bachelorettes, especially in festive contexts in American English. However, the historic term for unwed women is spinster. The connotations of the word spinster have changed so much over time that it is now considered a derogatory term. The Oxford English Dictionary says in its usage notes for the word:

The development of the word spinster is a good example of the way in which a word acquires strong connotations to the extent that it can no longer be used in a neutral sense. From the 17th century the word was appended to names as the official legal description of an unmarried woman: Elizabeth Harris of London, Spinster. This type of use survives today in some legal and religious contexts. In modern everyday English, however, spinster cannot be used to mean simply ‘unmarried woman’; it is now always a derogatory term, referring or alluding to a stereotype of an older woman who is unmarried, childless, prissy, and repressed.

Though spinster has a long history of being negative, there are some authors, such as Katie Bolick, that are trying to change the word's connotation into something positive. Additionally, the phrase Old Maid is used to describe an unmarried women.

French
Catherinette was a traditional French label for women of 25 years who were still unmarried by the Feast of Saint Catherine.

Chinese
The term sheng nu is used to describe unmarried women who are in mid to late twenties in China and East Asia.

Japanese
In Japan, men that have no interest in getting married are called sōshoku(-kei) danshi (草食(系)男子 ) or Herbivore men. This term also describes young men who have lost their "manliness".

Relationship status and health
A person's relationship status can have an effect on their health. People have different perspectives on the ways in which relationship status influences health.

Paul Dolan, professor in behavorial science at the London School of Economics, explained that "if you're a woman, don't bother [getting married]", as a study from the American Time Use Survey found that single women live longer and happier lives than married women.

People who support singleness have different opinions on it, pointing out that not all marriages are created equal. Healthy people, with psychological well-being, have happy relationships with their partners. In contrast, unhappy marriages will have the opposite effect, "A bad marriage can make a person feel more isolated than being single" according to sociologist professor Eric Klinenber at New York University.

A study of more than 10,000 adults found that married couples were more likely to gain weight during their process of romantic ventures than singles. In other words, married couples have a higher risk of weight gain that may be large enough to pose a health risk, as reported by Zhenchao Qian, professor of sociology at Ohio State University.

Targeting
Dating services are an especially targeted and advertised service for singles. The growth of the dating services and dating events industry has been so drastic that the phrase "dating–industrial complex" (reminiscent of President Dwight D. Eisenhower's term "military industrial complex") has been coined to capture the amount of money and manpower devoted to dating services for singles.

Singles events have been an area of particular growth in singles-related commerce. Many events are aimed at singles of particular affiliations, interest, or religions. Some of the most strongly attended such events are the Christmas Eve party targeted at young Jewish singles in major cities in North America, particularly the Matzo Ball and its big city competitors. A variety of other religious organizations' singles events are also very popular. However, dating via religious-sponsored singles events has also been criticized for fostering invasion of daters' privacy and undue expectations.

Also there is a Single Supplement that adds extra fees to those traveling alone.

In some countries, particular laws may directly or indirectly disadvantage single persons. In the United States, for example, Social Security widow(er) benefits are only available to those persons who have been previously married, and single people in the United States pay more income taxes than married people.  In many countries tour and holiday operators impose a penalty (often as much as 100%) on persons who travel alone.

Older singles are also heavily targeted by marketers, for much the same reasons. They are typically divorcees or widowed, perhaps reconciled to being single for the rest of their lives, and looking to make the most of what remains to them. Their children, if any, will typically be financially independent. They may, or may not, be looking for another relationship. There is a whole industry dedicated to making unsolicited telephone calls to this group in the hope of exploiting the ones who cannot distinguish between the honest and the dishonest.

Depiction in popular culture
Film and television

Living Single
Sex and the City
Entourage 
How to Be Single
The Golden Girls
The Single Moms Club
Girls
Singles
Bridget Jones's Diary

Literature

Bridget Jones's Diary
Single Life: Unmarried Adults in Social Context
Single: Arguments for the Uncoupled
Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone
All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation
Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living

See also
 Asexuality
 Asociality
 Singles Awareness Day
 Singleton (lifestyle)

References

Interpersonal relationships
Sociological terminology
Lifestyle
Ethno-cultural designations
Family
Social groups
1 (number)
비혼자(非婚者)는 결혼 상태에 있지 않은 사람을 말한다.

개요 
미혼(未婚), 독신(獨身), 또는 싱글(single)이라고도 한다. 사실혼은 법적으로는 미혼이나, 통상 기혼으로 인식된다.

비혼(非婚)은 미혼(未婚)이라는 단어가 '혼인은 반드시 해야 하는 것이나 아직 하지 않은 상태'라는 의미를 담고 있다는 생각에 기반하여 '혼인 상태가 아님'이라는 보다 주체적인 의미로 여성학계에서 사용하기 시작한 단어이다. 결혼을 하지 않고, 비혼을 선택하는 생각을 비혼주의라고 부른다. 

2000년대 이후 독신 인구가 증가함에 따라 1인 가구가 증가하고, 비혼공동체가 등장했으며, 주택청약이나 의료법 등에 대한 정책 개선 요구도 늘어났다.

역사 
대한민국의 2010년 인구주택총조사 잠정 집계를 보면 부모와 자녀로 구성된 이른바 ‘정상 가족’은 약 20%에 지나지 않았다. 1인 가구 역시 2000년에는 약 222만 가구에서, 2010년에는 약 403만 가구로 급증했다. 1인 가구가 전체 가구에서 차지하는 비중은 23.3%에 달했다. 이는 가족 유형과 형태의 분화가 빠르게 진행되고 있음을 보여주는 지표이다.1990년 9%, 2000년 15.5%에 이어 큰 폭으로 늘어난 수치이고, 앞으로 1인 가구가 전체 가구 분포에서 가장 많은 비중을 차지할 것이다.

2000년대 이후 사회적으로 ‘비혼 여성’들이 조명되기 시작했다. 여성들은 ‘가족 안의 어머니, 아내로 머무르고 싶지 않다. 가족 내에서의 성별 분업으로 인해 여성들은 일-돌봄이라는 이중 부담을 떠안는다’ 등을 말하기 시작했다. ‘모두가 결혼해야한다’는 전제를 무너뜨리고 결혼 제도 밖의 삶을 지지하고자 하는 여성운동도 시작되었다. 결혼과 육아를 필수가 아닌 선택으로 보는 시각이 나타나고, 독신을 선호하는 사람의 수가 늘어났다.

전희경 한국여성민우회 정책위원은 "‘비혼 세대’의 등장 시기를 2000년 초반으로 본다. 1970년 이후 출생한 여성들이 이 세대의 핵심을 차지한다"라고 분석했다. 1970년대에 태어난 여성들은 1990년대 들어 '신세대'로 불리며 시대적 상징으로 자리매김했다. ‘커리어 우먼’ 담론이 유포되기 시작한 것도 이즈음이었다. 이들은 학력 인플레이션, 외국 여행, 어학 연수 등의 세례를 받았고, 1990년대 말 경제위기를 경험하면서 결혼의 안정성에 대해 의문을 갖게 되었다.

전희경은 "‘어머니처럼 살지 않겠다’라고 선택한 비혼이, ‘딸 시간’의 연장은 아닌지 스스로 물어볼 필요가 있다. 결혼 이전의 상태를 ‘임시 기간’으로 치부해버리는, 그래서 불안정하게 만드는 프레임에 갇히기보다, 비혼으로 살아온 시간의 ‘물질성’을 부정하지 않는 게 중요하다"라고 말했다.

비혼은 ‘어쩌다 비혼’과 ‘페미니스트 비혼’으로 분화했다. 페미니스트 비혼의 경우는 대학 내 여성학 수업이 보편화되고 페미니즘 담론이 대중성을 갖게 되면서 가부장제와 이성애주의를 비판하는 지점에서 발생했다. 비혼에 대해 배타적인 사회 분위기 속에서 페미니스트 비혼자들은 결혼 제도에 문제를 제기하며 적극적으로 비혼을 정치화했다.

2010년 한국의 15세 이상 인구 중 독신 비율이 39%로 나타났다. 15세 이상 비혼 비율이 높았던 것은 만혼과 독신자가 크게 늘었기 때문으로 풀이된다. 1인 가구가 늘어나는 것은 한국뿐만 아니라 미국과 유럽에서도 공통적으로 나타나는 현상이다. 2000년 ~ 2010년까지 10여 년간 미국의 1인 가구 비중은 27%, 영국은 30%, 독일은 40%까지 늘어났다.아시아에선 2010년 기준 일본은 1인 가구가 전체가구의 32%이다.

비혼 인구가 증가하면서 혼내 출산이 당연시되는 국가에서는 저출생자수 문제가 대두되었다. 이런 상황 속에서 비혼 인공수정을 긍정하는 여성들의 목소리도 커졌고 이에 대한민국 정부에서도 비혼 인공수정 임신 인구를 끌어안는 정책 입안을 모색했다.

관련 서적 
 송제숙. 《혼자 살아가기》. 동녘. 2016년. ISBN 978-89-7297-770-4
 캐런 루이즈 진 저. 안진희 역. 《마흔 이후, 누구와 살 것인가》. 심플라이프. 2014년. ISBN 979-11-951549-2-0
 이진송. 《연애하지 않을 자유》. 21세기북스. 2016년. ISBN 978-89-509-6459-7
 우에노 지즈코·미나시타 기류 저. 조승미 역. 《비혼입니다만, 그게 어쨌다구요?!》. 동녘. 2017년. ISBN 978-89-7297-859-6
 무라타 사야카 저. 최고은 역. 《소멸세계》. 살림. 2017년. ISBN 978-89-522-3701-9
 공아연. 《1인 가구 살림법》. 로고폴리스. 2017년. ISBN 979-11-86499-63-4
 장경섭. 《내일의 종언?》. 집문당. 2018년. ISBN 978-89-303-1797-9
 김애순·이진송. 《하고 싶으면 하는 거지···비혼》. 알마. 2019년. ISBN 979-11-5992-239-8
 엘리. 《연애하지 않을 권리》. 카시오페아. 2019년. ISBN 979-11-88674-46-6
 윤이형. 《그들의 첫 번째와 두 번째 고양이》. 문학사상. ISBN 978-89-7012-998-3

관련 기사 
 이유진. (다양한 가족) 세상의 모든 가족, 행복할 권리 있다. 여성신문. 2018년 12월 5일.
 진주원. (다양한 가족①) 동거커플도 복지 혜택 보장해야. 여성신문. 기사입력 2019년 1월 25일. 기사수정 2019년 1월 27일.
 진주원. (다양한 가족②) “한부모가족들과 모여 명절 보내요”. 여성신문. 2019년 2월 4일.
 진주원. (다양한 가족③)1인간편식·혼술집…앞서가는 시장, 안보이는 정책. 여성신문. 기사입력 2019년 2월 20일. 기사수정 2019년 2월 22일.
 진주원. (다양한 가족④) “돌봄·공부 함께 하며 지켜봐주는 공동체예요”. 여성신문. 기사입력 2019년 3월 14일. 기사수정 2019년 3월 15일.

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각주

외부 링크 
 우리에겐 조금 먼 가족이 필요해
 혼삶비결
 언니네트워크
 비비 
 비혼지향생활자를 위한 계간 공덕동하우스
 재테크 기반 비혼모임

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