I'm Single And Love It, But Minnesotans Think It's Weird: Writer

TWIN CITIES, MN — Is it socially unacceptable to be single at age 28 or older in Minnesota? That's the experience of Ellen Burkhardt, a 30-year-old woman who loves being single, but says the Minnesotans she encounters don't seem to believe her.

"I think marriage is wonderful. I love everything it represents — love, loyalty, commitment, joy, choosing someone else’s needs above your own," Burkhardt writes in the Star Tribune.

"What I think is off-kilter is how marriage is advertised as the end-all/be-all — the only option for a truly fulfilling life." The average age of a bride is 26.9 in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, she notes.

While perceptions and culturural norms may be different in New York or Washington, D.C. — in Minnesota, "you’d better believe people glance at my left-hand ring finger and, seeing its nakedness, flash me a look of pity," says Burkhardt.

Read Burkhardt's entire reflection over at the Star Tribune.

What do you think? Is there a stigma around being single in Minnesota? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!

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