Why Single Women Are Expected to Be Emotional Safety Nets—and Why It’s Exhausting

If you’re single and childfree, chances are you’ve felt it: the weight of other people’s expectations to always be “available,” “helpful,” and “understanding.” Friends, coworkers, and even family often treat single women as the default emotional safety net. Need someone to vent to at 2 a.m.? Call her. Feeling guilty about a life choice? She’s supposed to reassure you. Feeling overwhelmed by motherhood, marriage, or career stress? She’ll listen, nod, and offer advice, even if she didn’t ask for this role.

There is a sense of entitlement that comes from mothers who are most likely overwhelmed and just pass the buck of emotional labor down a pipeline.

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