![Man reading newspaper while couple is being photographed on the beach](https://cdn.theatlantic.com/thumbor/pyLn_s47fheDywW3WTPfY0YK-Zs=/187x0:2212x1350/210x140/media/img/mt/2022/06/EPISODE_3/original.jpg)
When Partnership Is Not the Destination
In a society designed for romantic couples, singlehood can be seen as an unwelcome circumstance. For some, being single is not a matter of rebellion, but an irrefutable nature—worthy of its own social standing.