This is the Guardian.

Today, in a society where couple goals is not just a hashtag, but a very real economic and social pressure,

why are an increasing number of people single? Depending on where you stand, Valentine's Day can be a good

excuse to show someone you fancy them or just an exercise in rampant consumerism. Either way,

it's build as a day to celebrate love and romance with that someone special.

When I was a child, I used to love Valentine's Day because I saw it as kind of like, you know, romance,

Christmas and then when I became an adult, I realised there was an expectation of what it should feel like

and what it actually feels like regardless of whether I'm single or in a relationship.

Fewer people are marrying now and the Office for National Statistics reports that the number of people

living alone in the UK is rising far faster than family households. It's clear that this is part

of a long-term trend, but for many women, being alone still carries a heavy social stigma.

And marriage is still seen as the be or and end all. You've got to say it's because it's the

traditional path to motherhood and it was traditionally where economic security came from.

So therefore there's always been a lot more riding on being in a partnership for women.

But the culture is shifting. A whole raft of female authors are re-writing what it means to be

single and why the stereotypes of old just won't stick. From the Guardian, I'm Nushinik Vow.

Today I'm focused on the rise of the single positivity movement.

Emma John, you've written a book about your experiences of being single. As a child,

how did you imagine your life would be? Did you see yourself getting married?

Oh, I 100% assumed I would be married. My parents were married for decades, never split up.

So I had a very good view of marriage. And I'm sure that I'm not the only person who even had

the age at which I would get married in my head. I mean, I was sure it would be 26.

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