Iranian women increasingly wary of getting married

Shahrzadnews

How women view marriage has been complicated by a change in social attitudes and a lack of consensus as to what women’s responsibilities are, and to what the terms ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ mean when applied to their role in society and in the family.

Shahrzadnews: A recent survey has revealed that the number of women willing to marry has dwindled dramatically, particularly among those born in the post-revolution 1980s. Most of the women born in this decade said that they were wary of marriage and its consequences. The Parsienh website commented: “Perhaps this trend shows how our traditional society is being transformed into a modern one.”

The survey, carried out by Tapesh magazine, found that there were three main reasons why women were avoiding having families. These were the fact that women often do not feel ready to marry for many years, changes to social values and the role of women, and a lack of moral support for individuals.

Elaborating on the time taken for women to feel ready to marry, the survey listed the long years of study, finding appropriate work, and acquiring sufficient financial resources. It blamed parents and the government for failing to give appropriate advice.

As for the second reason, how women view marriage has been complicated by a change in social attitudes and a lack of consensus as to what women’s responsibilities are, and to what the terms ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ mean when applied to their role in society and in the family.

Regarding the third reason, the parents of those born in 1980s Iran would have tended to shield their children from family problems, expecting them simply to study hard and get well-paid jobs. Such children often end up mistrusting their parents’ advice, and being less well-equipped to deal with the problems they meet later in life.