Is being in a relationship… uncool?

Well, that seems to be the hot topic after Chanté Joseph’s British Vogue article highlighted a surprising trend: Women are sharing their partners on social media less than ever. 

It’s making women think deeply about the real reasons why being in a relationship is actually embarrassing, or in other words, why it gives some women the absolute ICK. 

I don’t know how many times I’ve followed influencers or celebrities because of their specific content, and then all of a sudden they’re in a relationship and their entire profile and content is dedicated to their boyfriend, low key… It's f**king annoying bro! 

All I wanna know is how you made that delicious mac and cheese. I really don't care what your boyfriend is wearing today. 

Gone are the days of couple selfies, matching captions, and 'taken' Instagram bios. Now, if a partner makes an appearance at all, it’s often just a glimpse, usually just an Insta story that disappears after 24 hours. 

Chante says it’s about balance. Women seem to want the perks of dating without the stigma of seeming TOO obsessed. They want recognition without obsession, and a relationship without the pressure or the heartbreak of public scrutiny.

While I was reading the article, one of the first things I thought about was, I wonder how many men are gonna be in the comment sections just disregarding the entire article. You’ll be happy to know that I was greatly mistaken, and a lot of men are wholeheartedly agreeing with the author.

The article also challenges the old-school ideas that happiness depends on having a partner. Being single? It’s becoming a major flex. You don’t need a boyfriend to be complete. Friendships, family, careers, hobbies, and financial milestones all matter. Love is no longer the only ‘status’ symbol.

Social media responses have been both hilarious and empowering. TikTokers are dancing, waving, and blowing kisses to celebrate independence. 

Shameless Media’s Ruby Hall captioned a clip: “Apparently it’s chic to be single now.” 

Others are having fun with classic songs like Leona Lewis' 'Bleeding Love' and Justin Timberlake's 'What Goes Around Comes Back Around', celebrating singlehood like it’s the ultimate trend.

One user commented: “Vogue got it wrong, it’s not embarrassing, it’s a liability.” 

“Married men live longer than single men, single women live longer than married women, think about that,” another said, racking up over 100K likes already.

Two of the most liked comments state: “honestly, it's like having a child” and “being a wife is a humiliation ritual.” 

Some of the ladies here in the rova office also had a fair bit to say about the article:

“I don’t NEED to be in a relationship or NEED to be with my man, I choose to be.” 

“My two recent exes wouldn’t piss on me if I was on fire, and that tells me everything.” 

“What’s embarrassing are women who centre their entire lives around their man’s life and interests, and disguise it as being supportive.”

After reading the article about three times (it’s that good by the way), the author makes it pretty obvious that the problem or embarrassment isn’t the relationship itself, but using it as the foundation of your identity.

If you’re single or more so if you’re IN a relationship at the moment, what are your thoughts on this?