This morning, NewsBusters' Mark Finkelstein reported (here) how CBS anchors yucked it up over a front-page story in today's New York Times that blared, "51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse." This study is nothing to laugh at. It's incredibly misleading, if not dishonest.
The Times got their numbers from the Census Bureau's new American Community Survey, which surveyed "117 million women over the age of 15." Wait a minute. "Over the age of 15"?
Is it really a surprise that millions of 15-20 year-olds are "living without spouse"? It shouldn't be. In addition to several cultural factors (some of which the Times touched on), the age of consent in the United States averages just over 16 years of age. In several states, including California, it's 18.
By the way ... How often would the Times label a 15-year-old as a "15-year-old woman" (emphasis mine)? Twice, as it turns out, since 1981. (One is in a 1981 travel article on China; the other is in a 1987 sports piece on diving results.) Meanwhile, the term "15-year-old girl" (emphasis mine) returns 756 results in the Times' archive going back to 1981. (And in a number of the articles, the words are used more than once.)
Also, the Census survey's "Data Profile Highlights" page simply refers to "Female, Now married, except separated (population 15 years and over)," not "women," as the Times puts it. In addition, the Times took the added measure of deducting 2.4 million women who were married but "said their husbands were not living at home for one reason or another." So if a woman's hubby works overseas for much of the year, she wasn't counted as "living with spouse." Is your husband serving in the military in another country? It looks like you weren't counted either. Although the Times acknowledges such scenarios, it didn't stop them from using the deduction to get that nice-looking "51%" result they touted.
And, finally, for what it's worth, 1996 census report on marriage and divorce (pdf file) stated that "nearly everyone marries" (at least once during their lifetime).
Misleading. New York Times.
(Need I say that the Times piece took a very positive tone towards these "women without spouse"? Of course not. It goes without saying.)
HT: Michael Medved and Larry Elder.
—Dave Pierre is the creator of TheMediaReport.com and a contributor to NewsBusters.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
51% is a huge number,
November 6, 2007 - 12:15 ET by Gordman51% is a huge number, actually is a dramatic number, what kind of marriages have these people. Marriage and familly is very important for the society, this will have a direct impact over us in future. Isn't there any other option here, marriage counseling or something else to get them stay together?
This study sounds as serious
January 17, 2007 - 01:02 ET by danboThis study sounds as serious as the homeless study. Where college students living at home with their families were classified as homeless.
Be carefull of the research you hear. It may be true. But then... It may be b...
"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything."
-- Joseph Stalin
Another is the divorce rate
January 17, 2007 - 01:14 ET by Mean Gene Dr. LoveAnother is the divorce rate statistics that I've heard fly around over the years, like half of all marriages end in divorce or the divorce rate is 50%. This article points out the misleading information. And this site has more interesting info on that subject.
I always question polls, and 'statistically' based articles in the press (especially in the NYT).
Gun Safety Tip #8: No matter how responsible he seems, never give your gun to a monkey. (www.imao.us)
Wow, that's gotta be some o
January 17, 2007 - 01:37 ET by The PresbyterWow, that's gotta be some of the most dishonest bull-ish I've ever heard. I wonder what the number would be if they only counted people over 17 or 18 and ANYONE that tied the not and is still technically married.
Estimation:
117 million females surveyed * .51 = 59.67 million women - 2.4 million still technically married = 57.27 million.
57.27 / 117 = 48.9% unmarried
Now subtract 15,16 & 17 year olds (This is a rough estimate: 74.6% of the population is over 18 so 25.4% is under 18. Assuming an even distribution among those remaining 25.4% for each year of age 25.4%/18 = 1.41% * 3 years (15,16,17) = 4.23%. 4.23% of 117 million woman is 4.95 million females.
57.27 - 4.95 = 52.32/117 = 44.7% of woman over 18 are unmarried. I think I did that fairly accurately. It's late.
How did I miss this. This stu
January 17, 2007 - 01:57 ET by danboHow did I miss this. This study is total BS. They claim to have to have surveyed 117 million females. Total US population is slightly over 300 million. http://www.census.gov/population/www/
Assume slightly over 1/2 are female. Say 160 million. That means 2/3rds of the women were surveyed. Aged 1 day to 100+
Ladies? Were you serveyed?
"Those who cast the votes decide nothing. Those who count the votes decide everything."
-- Joseph Stalin
(As spoken by Rodney) I tell
January 17, 2007 - 02:37 ET by mattm(As spoken by Rodney) I tell ya, if most women are living without a spouse, why couldn't it be my wife?
No, I'm only kiddin'. I love my wife, especially at night...when I'm asleep. No, seriously, the other night I woke up because I heard my wife saying sexy things....she was on the phone. Oh yeah, she really screams during sex... I can hear her from all the way across the street....
Ya know why men die before women? It's cheaper than divorce. I tell ya, married life is tough... My wife had me drop her off at a wife swapping party... Good night everyone...
here's a few more (I miss Rodney too)
January 17, 2007 - 03:16 ET by sarcasmoRIP Rodney. And Sam too. Here's to angry comics.
JMR
I was tired one night and I went to the bar to have a few drinks. The bartender asked me, What’ll you have? I said, Surprise me. He showed me a naked picture of my wife.
My marriage is on the rocks again. Yeah, my wife just broke up with her boyfriend.
I’ll tell ya, my wife and I, we don’t think alike. She donates money to the homeless, and I donate money to the topless!
My wife only has sex with me for a purpose. Last night she used me to time an egg.
Last week I told my psychiatrist, "I keep thinking about suicide." He told me from now on I have to pay in advance.
My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.
Last night my wife met me at the front door. She was wearing a sexy negligee. The only trouble was, she was coming home.
One day as I came home early from work, I saw a guy jogging naked. I said to the guy, "Hey buddy...why are you doing that for?" He said, "Because you came home early."
It's tough to stay married. My wife kisses the dog on the lips, yet she won't drink from my glass!
I met the surgeon general. He offered me a cigarette.
Okay... I'll join in the fun.
January 17, 2007 - 05:34 ET byOkay... I'll join in the fun..
A friend of mine, Arthur, sent me this:
While watching football today, my wife and I got into a conversation about life and death, and the need for living wills. During the course of the conversation I told her that I never wanted to exist in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and taking fluids from a bottle.
She got up, unplugged the TV and threw out all my beer.
Sometimes it's tough being married to a wise-cracking gal.
This is very discouraging t
January 17, 2007 - 02:45 ET by OIFveteranThis is very discouraging to me. I feel left out. I am a 28 y/o male and I haven't even been though my first divorce yet.
/cry.
<insert something clever>
Apparently the liberal media
January 17, 2007 - 02:54 ET byApparently the liberal media is at it again and over something so silly and yet in an odd way could discourage millions of young women.
As a mother of two of those unmarried females, ages 17 and 21 (the oldest according to another study is homeless, I guess, cause she goes to college and lives home) -- I feel I can speak on this topic with some knowledge. This and the fact that I was once young and unmarried as well.
When a report like this one comes out, young unmarried females get nervous. They do the math and come up with thoughts like: If there are 100 gals in a room, only 49 will end up with a husband.
Young gals have a fear of being an old-maid. Such fear often leads them to making huge sexual mistakes with men. The gal gets scared and thinks she has to do what ever it takes to 'get a man.' Did we not see this with Monica Lewinsky?
Young gals need to be encouraged, not discouraged. And fact is, there are plenty of men out there who want to marry. And fact is that when a girl is raised to know this fact, she does not even present herself as one who would give herself before marriage. And then she ends up engaged much faster than if she did.
My oldest daughter has a ring on her finger and a fiancé who says it cannot come fast enough for him. (I am making them wait till after they get their bachelors degree. They can be married while they go for doctorates.)
The New York Times should do a retraction of that entire article. They are doing a disservice to young women.
Debra...
(www.InformingChristians.com)
Thanks for the joke. I thin
January 17, 2007 - 07:59 ET by sarcasmoThanks for the joke. I think you or your daughters might enjoy this guy's ideas on marriage. I think he's spot-on, but his ideas certainly seem to upset some people...
JMR
I think the NYT was going for
January 17, 2007 - 12:56 ET by Mean Gene Dr. LoveI think the NYT was going for the feminist view with this survey to show how liberated from the shackles of the evil men and the bondage of marriage today's women are.
When I first saw the headline for this article, I thought, "so what?" Then I found it was in the NYT and I began thinking, "Why would the NYT publish a story like this?" It certainly wouldn't be to illuminate anything good or positive about marriage or to say that an unmarried female population that big could be a bad thing for society. So I concluded it is to embolden feminists and to solidify the favor of the wishy-washy feminists out there that still aren't convinced of the feminist party-line.
Gun Safety Tip #8: No matter how responsible he seems, never give your gun to a monkey. (www.imao.us)
My wife said she callenges th
January 17, 2007 - 14:28 ET by Conservative in the ArtsMy wife said she callenges the numbers when we saw the NBC news last night. I had to call her at work to tell her that Newsbusters didn't let her down and here's the flaws in the numbers.
She doesn't read NB, but get's all the tid-bits through me. She says :"Thank you Newsbusters"