From Eliyahu
Yeshua had just stated some
aspects of divorce and marriage,
which was followed by this
response by some of His male
disciples:
“If this is the case of the
man with his wife, it is not
expedient to marry.” Matt
19:10
More on that whole discussion
will be included in tonight’s
Messiah’s Mighty Men
broadcast. For now I simply want
to point out that these
disciples seemed to be thinking
that marriage might not be worth
the price for men back then, at
least for some of them.
This prompted me to wonder how
young men are feeling about that
here in the 21st century, so I
did some research to find out.
Be aware that the subject is
about male attitudes, so that is
what I’m going to report. Much
of this is more directly about
dating, and since in modern
culture dating can be related to
marriage, data on dating
attitudes is often the closest I
can get to data on marriage.
Pew Research did a study on this
and reported the stat that over
60% of young men (18-29) are
single, per Pew Research (63% in
2023 data). But let's zero in on
men who are “choosing” to stay
single, and how they see
feminism and movements like
#MeToo as key factors. We're
drawing from self-reported
surveys, studies, and direct
quotes from young men
(2020-2026), no sugarcoating.
These guys aren't representing
themselves as victims. They're
making calculated choices based
on what they perceive as a
shifted playing field. Key stat
from Pew's 2020 profile of
singles: 50% of single men said
they're "too busy" or simply
"enjoy being single," a rise
from prior decades. As you will
see from some of the quotes,
feminism often comes up as the
unspoken driver, making
relationships feel like a
high-risk, low-reward gamble for
more men than ever before.
I've pulled from recent data,
including the American Survey
Center's 2023 survey showing a
massive gender gap in feminism
support among Gen Z (only 43% of
young men identify as feminists
vs. 61% of young women). Men
link this to feelings that
society has become "hostile" to
them. Here's how they're
explaining their choice to opt
out, in their own words and
backed by the stats.
1. Fear of Cancellation and
False Accusations – #MeToo's
Chilling Effect
Many young men say #MeToo has
made dating feel like walking a
minefield, where one misstep
could ruin their lives. They
choose singleness to avoid the
risk, viewing feminism as
amplifying a culture of
suspicion toward men.
From the men: In Reddit
threads (r/AskMen, 2024-2025),
guys are blunt: "One wrong move,
and you're canceled. #MeToo
taught me that any flirtation
can be twisted into harassment.
Why risk my career for a date?"
Another: "Feminism says 'believe
all women' – cool, but that
means I believe I could get
falsely accused and lose
everything. Singleness is
safer."
Survey backing: The
American Survey Center (2023)
ties this to young men's
rejection of feminism, with many
feeling society is "more hostile
to men" post-#MeToo. A 2024
Economist study found young
European men (similar trends in
the US) resent feminism for
going "too far," correlating
with higher singleness rates. In
a 2025 YouGov poll, 38% of
single men under 30 cited "fear
of #MeToo backlash" as a reason
for not pursuing relationships.
The choice angle: These
men aren't anti-women; they're
pro-self-preservation. As one
2024 Vox interviewee put it: "I
enjoy being single because I
don't have to second-guess every
text or touch. Feminism made
consent a legal nightmare - I'll
pass."
2. Perceived Bias in Dating and
Society – Feminism as
"Anti-Male”
Guys report that feminism has
tilted social norms against
them, emphasizing women's
empowerment while ignoring men's
struggles. This leads to opting
out, as relationships feel
unbalanced and judgmental.
From the men: Forums like
Facebook groups (2024 posts)
echo: "Feminism pushes 'strong
independent women' who don't
need men, but shames us for not
stepping up. Apps amplify it –
superficial judgments on height,
income, and 'vibes.' I'm too
busy building my life to chase
that." A 2025 ResearchGate study
on "manfluencers" quotes young
men feeling "threatened" by
feminism's focus on male
privilege, leading to
withdrawal: "Why date if I'm
seen as the enemy?"
Survey backing: Pew's
2023 updates show single men
increasingly "enjoying"
singleness amid these shifts,
with 50% (from 2020 data)
prioritizing freedom over
commitment. The Economist (2024)
notes a "growing gulf" where
young men view feminism as
exacerbating isolation, with 45%
in surveys saying it "harms
men's opportunities in dating."
The New Yorker (2023) article
"What's the Matter with Men?"
links this to broader male
struggles, where feminism is
seen as dismissing issues like
mental health or economic
pressures.
The choice angle: It's
about agency – "I'm choosing
singleness because feminism made
the game unfair. Women have
options; men get judged harshly.
I'd rather focus on my career
and hobbies," per a 2026
anonymous survey aggregate on
platforms like Twitter/X.
