Fan Ask Samantha Ruth Prabhu To Date: Why Can’t Society Accept Happy Single Women?

Recently a fan asked actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu to date, someone. "I know it’s not my place to say, but please date someone," read the tweet, to which the actor gave a heartwarming reply. "Who will love me like you do?" wrote the actor. Her fan's question was polite and the reply was generous but the question is why does being a single, independent, and successful woman hurt people's eyes? Why singlehood is not accepted by society? Prabhu holds several accolades, has accomplished great heights, and is one of the most sought-after actors in India, still why does her relationship matter more than her achievements?

Patriarchy has ingrained in our minds that women are supposed to fit into the conventional standards set by society. If they defy that social construct, they receive flak not because they are wrong but because they threaten the very hold that patriarchy has over women. Single and independent women prove that women can still thrive on their own; they normalise the notion that women can be happy and successful even without being married.

So, this whole concept of women doing it all on their own means they don’t need a man in their lives. Marriage, according to patriarchy, is the chain that holds women hostage within a domestic environment. How will patriarchy maintain its hold over women if they begin taking control of their lives? With more women becoming equal to men in all areas of life, the power dynamic is crumbling, and that scares the patriarchy.

Samantha Prabhu On Singlehood

From Samantha Ruth Prabhu to Sushmita Sen, single and independent women stand tall as role models to other women and prove that women can achieve it all on their own. How will patriarchy let something happen that rewrites its concept of womanhood? So, patriarchy demonises single and independent women by terming them "rebellious," "characterless," "opinionated," "arrogant," "selfish," etc. It tries to break down their spirits, but they have gone through numerous battles within themselves, with their families, and with society. The gruelling challenges that they have come across have made them unbreakable and resilient.

But how long is our society going to stay chained to patriarchal norms? Our misogynistic ancestors, who laid the structure of patriarchy, are long gone, and so should their rules. A woman need not necessarily get married just because she hits the age bar of 25 years. She can get married today, tomorrow, or 10 years from now, or she can choose to remain single. It is completely her choice because she has agency over her life.

Society needs to understand that today's women are educated, talented, and have dreams of their own. They know the ways and have the means to create a life for themselves. Today, women don’t look for a partner to protect and provide for them. All they seek from relationships is a partner to share their life with. However, thanks to internalised patriarchy, our society hasn’t been able to accept today’s "modern and hyper-independent women."

The unfair power dynamics in relationships that expect men to have the upper hand are a huge turnoff to woke women. They don’t want to give in to their preferences just for the sake of being in a relationship. In fact, a recent study in India by the dating app Bumble revealed that 83% of women said that they were content to wait till they found the right partner, and 81% felt more at ease being unmarried and living alone—both being personal choices, and there is no right or wrong.

Single and independent women aren’t a threat to society because, contrary to common misconception, they aren’t trying to pull down men. All they want is an equal seat at the table. In fact, single women have a positive impact on the economy because their employment rate is higher than that of married women. Women have proven that they are equally at par with men in all fields. So, can society become more inclusive and broadminded about women choosing to embrace singlehood?

Suggested Reading: 73 Million Women Are Single By Choice. What Is Reason Behind That?