In an interview with British Vogue, Emma Watson said that she is “self-partnered,” which may be the newest term to denote relationship status.
Our society has expectations for the timeline of one’s life. Certain “milestones” need to be achieved to seem successful or “on track.” Things like a steady job, marriage and having children are expected of people in their late 20s and early 30s. However, these expectations are also more heavily placed on women, as the traditional gender roles are still being broken down.
The “Harry Potter” star is almost 30 years old, so she often faces questions about her domestic life.
She said, “If you have not built a home, if you do not have a husband, if you do not have a baby, and you are turning 30, and you’re not in some incredibly secure, stable place in your career, or you’re still figuring things out… There’s just this incredible amount of anxiety.”
By labeling herself self-partnered, it takes away the pressure to find a partner and start the traditional idea of a family or an adult life. She “closes” the metaphorical door on that aspect of life.
The term “single” can carry the connotation that someone is looking for a partner, or at least open to the idea of one. However, self-partnered implies a relationship—something that is committed and/or “taken,” in typical dating terms—even if it is with herself.
Women, more so than men, are expected to marry. The family milestones I mentioned earlier more directly affect women, as they relate to traditionally female responsibilities. Wanting marriage and children is a good thing, but so is wanting a career.
Media representations of love and family, particularly in film and TV, frequently depict marriage and motherhood as the only option available to young women. I can think of few stories where romantic relationships haven’t been a factor. Of course, this isn’t inherently bad. These relationships are priorities in many people’s lives, but for those who aren’t focused on this, it shouldn’t be a point of criticism.
Women can be professionals. They can be wives. They can be mothers. They can be all three. Watson is one of many choosing to put her career first, and if that is what she wants, more power to her. It is encouraging to have a female role model that is independent and driven.
Outside her successful acting career, Watson is known for her activism. She was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, and in 2014, she started the #HeForShe campaign, which encourages men to join the fight for gender and sex equality.
Watson has other things going on that, to her, are more important than society traditionally expects. And who knows? Watson may “settle down” eventually, but if she does, it will be her decision. It will happen when she decides to do it, and whether that is years from now or never, she gets to decide.
But until then, we owe it to her to respect her decisions and support her in whatever she chooses to do next.
Maddie Peters can be reached at pete9542@stthomas.edu.