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In this week's episode, I talk to sociologist, demographer and author, Dr. Kris Marsh. 

Dr. Kris Marsh received her PhD from the University of Southern California in 2005. She was a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina before joining the faculty of the University of Maryland where she has been tenured since 2014. She is the author of ‘The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class.’ 

In this conversation, Kris and I talk about why she chose the title of her book, The Love Jones Cohort; the reasons behind the rise of singles in the black middle class and beyond; how gendered racism constrains personal choices; and how racial discrimination in the housing market can be the reason why some people remain single. 

We also discuss colourism, and the argument that the lighter skinned you are, the more choice you potentially have when it comes to finding a partner; how gendered racism feeds into why some people are single; and how black women may have an even harder time being single due to racism coupled with the stigma of being single.

Our conversation also includes how people always ask why people are single, but never why they’re married; how some people are willing to get into / remain in toxic or abusive relationships in order to avoid the label of ‘single’; and how it seems to be acceptable to ask single people about their sex lives in a way we wouldn’t ask married people.  

Kris also tells me how the research for her book found that single women tend to thrive as singles, whereas men tend to bide their time until finding a relationship; how the subjects in Kris’ book tended to suffer from situational loneliness rather than chronic loneliness; and how people tend to think of marriage and partnership as a panacea.     

Finally, we talk about how important it is to be confident and content in our singlehood before we consider a relationship; and the racial aspect of the recent and tragic death of Tyre Nichols.    

Buy Kris’ book, (UK link) The Love Jones Cohort: Single and Living Alone in the Black Middle Class: 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Jones-Cohort-Cambridge-Stratification-ebook/dp/B0BSR25D47 

Buy Kris’ book, (US link): 
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Jones-Cohort-Cambridge-Stratification/dp/1316612910 


Follow Kris on Instagram: @drkrismarsh
On Twitter: @drkrismarsh

Find out more at Kriss website:
https://drkrismarsh.com/

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