As
women increase their educational qualifications across the globe, they are
changing their views of marriageable partners, says an article in Madison
magazine. Where once women married partners who had educational qualifications,
or higher qualifications, they are now marrying partners with equal, lower, or
no qualifications.
The
article maintains that a global study by university researchers in Barcelona,
Spain, assessed census figures from the late 1960s to the present time from 56
countries. The study revealed that the increase in women attending university,
gaining degrees, and moving into careers, has changed how they choose their
marriage partners. In 21 of the 56 countries studied, including countries as
diverse as France, Jordan, Mongolia, Slovenia, and South Africa, the majority
of women were marrying partners with lower or equal qualifications.
With
educational qualifications, women are increasingly earning more money, since
the late 1960s, and are often becoming the family “breadwinner” – a role
previously held by men. “Traditionally in heterosexual couples, the dominating
pattern was a type of relationship in which the woman marries a man with higher
educational attainment and in which there are important gender differences,”
said researcher Albert Esteve. “In recent years however, an easier access to
education for women is altering this model.”
The
Barcelona researchers believe that this phenomenon will continue to increase as
female students are beginning to outnumber the male student population in
countries all over the world.
The
article’s author describes this phenomenon as “marrying down” although many
would generally equate that term with status and class, rather than educational
qualifications.
Esteve
said that while this trend could “potentially bruise some male egos” the new
structure is being embraced by society. He said, “One could consider that the
increase in education amongst women would make forming unions more difficult
and raise the number of single women. However, what we see is that the
composition of couples adapt quite well to these structural changes.”
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