The widespread stereotyping and discrimination against people who are single has long gone unrecognized, unnamed, and unchallenged. Bella DePaulo, Ph.D., calls it SINGLISM. In this collection, she defines singlism and shows where it is lurking in the workplace, the marketplace, and the media, in advertising, religion, and pseudoscience, in our universities and professional societies, in laws and policies, and in our everyday lives. Dr. DePaulo takes on the issue of why singlism persists – often without apology or even awareness – at a time when so many other isms are considered shameful. Drawing from social science research, she also explains why the simple statement, “I am happy,” when uttered by a person who is single, can elicit paroxysms of hostility, denial, and scorn. "Singlism: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Stop It" also includes contributions from a wide range of authors, experts, activists, and cutting-edge thinkers. They share their understandings of singlism and their stories of standing up to it, and they inspire us all to live our lives fully and joyfully. The book also includes a section on singlism’s cousin – the stereotyping and stigmatizing of adults with no children. Contributors to "SINGLISM" 1. Lisa A., Ph.D. 2. Rev. Mark Almlie 3. Gina Barreca, Ph.D. 4. Steven Bereznai 5. Wendy Braitman 6. Rachel Buddeberg 7. Christina Campbell 8. Thomas F. Coleman, J. D. 9. “Crimson” 10. Karen Foster 11. Page Gardner 12. Rajiv Garg 13. Jaclyn Geller, Ph.D. 14. Nicky Grist 15. Jeanine 16. Rachel F. Moran, J.D. 17. Wendy L. Morris, Ph.D. 18. Yasmin Nair 19. Monica Pignotti, Ph.D. 20. Psyngle 21. Rev. Ann Schranz 22. Singlutionary 23. Rachel Stone 24. E. Kay Trimberger, Ph.D. 25. John Ullman 26. Helen W. 27. Wendy Wasson, Ph.D. 28. Eleanore Wells
I'm Bella DePaulo. I'm a 50-something year old and I have always been single. I love my single life. But I do not love all of the ridiculous assumptions people make about me when they first meet me and learn that I am single. (No, I do not spend my evenings crying in my beer.) I'm also a social scientist (with a PhD in social psychology from Harvard). I write about singles with a passion. My work on this topic (and others) has appeared in publications such as the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Washington Post, Time magazine, and many others. There have been feature stories in Psychology Today and the AARP magazine. I've also been on the Today show and other morning shows, CNN, NPR, and many others. I've written op-eds for publications such as the New York Times, Newsday, the San Francisco Chronicle, Forbes, and the Chronicle of Higher Education. I have been a visiting professor of psychology at UC Santa Barbara since 2000. I think that makes me a permanent visitor. Get in touch if you would like to hire me to speak at your event.
My first book on singles was "Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After." My second is a collection of 89 essays, "Single with Attitude: Not Your Typical Take on Health and Happiness, Love and Money, Marriage and Friendship."
I am also an expert on the social psychology of lying. I wrote a short book, "Behind the Door of Deceit: Understanding the Biggest Liars in Our Lives." I also published a collection of professional papers, "The Lies We Tell and the Clues We Miss." You can read more about all of my work on my website, www.BellaDePaulo.com.
