Single men in their 30s are dating longer than many women of the same age bracket because of the fact that reproduction at this age will not be a concern.

It’s an unfortunate fact of life that our society views men in their 30s very differently to women of the same vintage. Once a woman turns 30 she is often labeled “past her used by date” but in contrast to 30 year old plus single men, they are given a pat on the back and often encouraged to make the most of their freedom. Even though popular TV shows like Desperate Housewives and Sex in the City send out the message to woman that it’s okay to be 30 and single, the fact is that if she wants to give birth naturally she will need a man to do so.

Many factors in life play a part in delaying women from having families at a younger age which can be partly attributed to the rising cost of living, increasing equality in the workplace that offers women more career choices. Women are also far less inclined to remain in unhappy relationships as compared to 20 years ago. 30 something women have to live with daily pressures to have a family from her parents and friends. And the longer she delays this process the more her work colleagues and other associates will label her as either “gay” or” ineligible.”

It’s no wonder why online dating has become such a useful matchmaking outlet for 30 something women. Dating sites provide singles with a means to search for compatible partners in a very short space of time and eliminates some of the stereo typical labeling of single 30 year old woman. Statistically, women aged above 30 comprise of around 40% of female online dating memberships worldwide. On average, women make up for more than 45% of online dating profiles compared to 55% of males.

Are women too picky? are the ideals women have about finding Mr. Perfect swaying between fantasy and reality? There is nothing wrong with setting a benchmark in the dating game, but sometimes love takes time to develop and too often love is not found because it is dismissed when an instant attraction or instant chemistry is not experienced. According to recent online dating research, 85% of first dates do not turn into second dates.

With this dilemma faced by ageing single women has seen the introduction and in recent times the acceptance of cougar dating. With seemingly less and less available single eligible men, some older women are turning to young men for companionship. This trend is adding fuel to the issue in that young men are not looking for anything ‘long term’ so what might be a challenge today, is quickly deemed as unwanted goods tomorrow.