In March 2026 the Centre for Population, Family and Health at the University of Antwerp presented new statistics regarding single people. Only 1 in 8 singles aged 23–39 (12%) are actively looking for a long-term partner, even though many remain open to one, the study find. While I haven’t found the paper behind these numbers, I have found other, interesting source material.
A sociological study from the University of Antwerp shows that being single in Belgium is experienced very differently depending on gender and migration background. While singlehood has become more socially accepted in Western societies, the research finds that cultural expectations, family pressures and gender norms still strongly shape how young adults navigate life without a partner.
The study by Dries Van Gasse, Elke Claessens and Dimitri Mortelmans analyses the personal narratives of fifty single adults aged 24 to 35 living in Belgium. By examining how individuals describe their experiences, the researchers show that singlehood is not a uniform status but a socially negotiated identity influenced by cultural norms, family expectations and personal aspirations.
A changing life course
In Western societies, traditional life trajectories – education, work, marriage and children – have become increasingly flexible. The transition to adulthood is now often described as a ‘winding road‘ in which individuals explore different paths before settling into long-term relationships or family life.
As a result, remaining single in one’s twenties or early thirties has become far more common and socially accepted than in the past. However, the researchers warn that portraying singles as a homogeneous group embracing autonomy and self-development risks overlooking the diversity of their experiences.
Even in societies where singlehood is more accepted, strong expectations around relationships and family formation remain. These expectations often vary depending on gender and sociocultural background.
Belgium: a society between tradition and diversity
Belgium offers a particularly interesting context for studying singlehood. Historically shaped by Catholic family values, the country has undergone significant social change since the 1960s. Secularisation, women’s growing participation in the labour market and expanded welfare systems have all contributed to more flexible relationship norms.
At the same time, Belgium’s long migration history has created a multicultural society where different cultural norms around marriage and family coexist.
Communities with origins in Morocco and Turkey, for example, often maintain stronger expectations regarding marriage and family formation. In these groups, marriage rates remain higher and cohabitation before marriage less common than among the non-migrant population.
This creates a complex environment in which young adults may navigate both the individualistic values of the wider Belgian society and the more family-oriented expectations of their cultural communities.
Rising numbers of singles
Official data show a clear rise in legal singlehood among young adults in Belgium over the past three decades. According to the study’s analysis of national register data, around 30 % of non-migrant young adults aged 24–35 were legally single in 1992. By 2023 this had increased to roughly 50 %.
Among second-generation migrants the share rose from about 15 % to roughly 25 % during the same period. Meanwhile, first- and third-generation migrants show consistently lower levels of legal singlehood.
Although legal status does not capture informal relationships or cohabitation, the trend illustrates how relationship patterns have become more varied across society.
How singles experience social expectations
The interviews conducted for the study reveal that young adults experience singlehood very differently depending on their social environment.
Participants with a migration background frequently described strong family expectations to form a relationship and eventually marry. Being single in their late twenties was often perceived as deviating from a socially expected life course.
One respondent described how discussions about dating in her family quickly turned into questions about marriage: “I would never tell my parents if I’m dating someone. My mother would immediately ask when he’d ask for my hand in marriage.”
For some participants, this pressure created tension between personal aspirations – such as pursuing education or careers – and expectations from family or community.
Women face stronger scrutiny
Gender emerged as a crucial factor in shaping experiences of singlehood. Across both migrant and non-migrant groups, women reported greater social scrutiny than men.
Among participants with a migration background, women often described a sharp transition in expectations: relationships were discouraged during adolescence, but marriage suddenly became expected in early adulthood.
One participant summarised the contradiction: “In the Moroccan context where I grew up, men and relationships were taboo. And then suddenly it goes from ‘we don’t do boyfriends’ to ‘when are you going to marry?’.”
Women without a migration background generally experienced less explicit pressure to marry. However, they still reported subtle forms of stigma, such as the assumption that being single indicates personal failure.
Men’s experiences differ
Men, by contrast, tended to face fewer direct judgments about their relationship status. Many male respondents reported that their identity was not strongly tied to whether they had a partner.
However, men with a migration background sometimes felt pressure to fulfill traditional provider roles before entering a relationship. This could delay partnership formation if they felt financially or professionally unprepared.
For these men, singlehood could become associated with feelings of inadequacy or failure to meet expectations of masculinity.
Five types of singlehood experiences
From the interviews, the researchers developed a typology describing five ways individuals experience singlehood. These categories are not fixed identities but patterns reflecting the relationship between personal aspirations and perceived social expectations.
The five types include:
- Aligned singlehood: individuals want a relationship and feel strong pressure to find one.
- Resistant singlehood: individuals reject societal expectations to partner.
- Unsupported singlehood: individuals desire a relationship but feel little social support.
- Autonomous singlehood: individuals experience little pressure and do not seek a relationship.
- Peripheral singlehood: individuals feel disengaged from the relationship market altogether.
These categories illustrate the wide range of ways in which singlehood can be lived and understood.
Singlehood as a social identity
The study emphasises that singlehood should not be viewed simply as the absence of a partner. Instead, it can function as a social identity shaped by cultural norms, gender expectations and personal choices.
For some individuals, singlehood is embraced as a meaningful lifestyle reflecting independence and self-development. For others, it may be experienced as a deviation from social expectations.
The researchers conclude that understanding these diverse experiences is essential for both academic research and public policy.
Implications for society
According to the authors, recognising the diversity of singlehood experiences is important for addressing stigma and improving wellbeing among young adults.
Policies related to housing, social support and family life often still assume couple-based households as the norm. Yet demographic trends suggest that singlehood will remain an increasingly common life course stage.
The study therefore calls for more inclusive narratives around relationships and adulthood.
Singlehood, the researchers argue, is not simply a temporary deviation from the ‘normal’ life course but a complex and evolving social reality shaped by personal choices, cultural expectations and structural conditions.
Source: ‘Navigating Personal Choice, Socio-cultural Background and Societal Norms in Forming a Singlehood Identity in Belgium: A Consideration of Qualitative Narratives in Relation to Gender and Migration Background’, Dries Van Gasse, Elke Claessens and Dimitri Mortelmans, 2025.
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