Out of curiosity, suppose he had been from NYC (so no southern excuse), and instead had just asked why you hadn't married yet. And suppose it was your first date / first time meeting. Would you have taken any offense to the question?

I don't agree with it at all. I got married at 22 and had kids when I was 24 and 26. Obviously I wouldn't wish my kids away, but I do hope they wait to get married and have children of their own. BUT, on the flip side, I'll only be 45 when my youngest graduates, so there's that.

Dunno if he meant it in a negative way but i think its more that if people hear you are single and 35 they will assume theres a reason why its that way and usually they will assume its a negative reason. Kind of like if you see someone jobless after a certain age you assume they either aren't trying to get a job or can't because they did something to where nobody wants to hire them, instead of assuming they were able to get along without working because they already made alot of money or that they inherited money or something.

I'd say he was definitely a bit weird. I know women in their 70s who never married, either because they never found anyone they wanted to marry or simply because they never wanted to be married. Some of them had kids, some of them didn't for a variety of reasons, including not wanting to. They're all well-rounded, intelligent people who have lived lives according to their own wonts and values, so fair play to every one of them and fuck what society says they should have done.

When and old brain neighbor asked me why I married "so late" (39 y/o) I told her "" Because I didn't want to be a servant like you and you daughters.."" lol

BTW, I married a guy who was the perfect partner.

I do not agree with that line of thinking at all. I have however, also faced the same criticism. "You've never been married? What's wrong with you?" I think I'm going to start replying with "You've been divorced? What's wrong with you?"

That was the only date. His comment was really surprising to me. I've been focusing on my education and career and also I don't want kids.

Times change, my mothers mother was only 36 years older than me. My kids are 31 and 33, single.
Only about a third of their peers are in relationships and / or had kids.

I would politely tell someone with those beliefs that you beg to differ (if you're so inclined) and politely end the date. Swaying them is a waste of time, it's been deeply ingrained and usually would require a frontal lobotomy to get them to think otherwise (and I hear tell those are frowned upon.)

He's a dolt..

I wonder if by his definition, something wrong might cover being gay. I've been divorced a long time and didn't have kids, and about the only thing I've heard close to this is some sideways remark that I don't like women. Ugh. Anyway, I wouldn't think there's anything wrong with you. I kind of wish I had never gotten married in my youth, or more to the point that I had been more particular and selective.

Was he also a fat shamer? Tell you what you Should want to eat or drink? Tell you what movie you will like/must see?
Same mentality, get your self-confidence into question, then move in....and you WILL BE SO GRATEFUL HE RESCUED YOU! Riiiiggghhhhhhttt..........

The spinster theory, I'm not buying into his thought, how we see ourselves is the important thing.

People can and do have very weird thoughts indeed. Fortunately they can easily be ignored.

I got married at 18, son born day after my 20th, divorced at 26 and done raising him by 39. I'm very happy with the way I did things and glad my son has chosen a different path.

Where did you find this moron? I hope you at least ate well; you earned it! (oh, and to hell with "people".) Smile! Spring is on its way. Hell, giggle.

Marriage is overrated and our planet is overpopulated with humans. Your life belongs to you, not that conformist casting negative judgement on you. Fuck 'em.

My gosh! Well I ever venture into the deep south of America, they are all going think I am super crazy! lol. I can just imagine it... I would have so much fun with them. mwahaha.
Anyway Ignore the silly man, and do what makes YOU happy

Honestly? I don't think there's anything wrong with you, but parenthood is such a profoundly transformative experience, I can't quite relate to people who never go through it.

Yeah, I'd delete that guy's phone number right now. Dating many/most southern men are sort of like dating many foreigners..they are mostly totally patriarchal, and usually looking to upgrade socially, i.e. from broke trailer trash to an educated woman with an income.

I was married two weeks before I turned 20 yrs old, to an old MK (missionary kid) friend I'd known in Haiti since I was eight years old, and my brother's best friend. I only married him because we'd been pen pals for a few years, then dated in college, but only after I made him promise he'd never propose, since I couldn't say "no" to a pal (I didn't know at the time I'm partially transmale, with an active "bro" code), something I'd observed about myself, but didn't know why.

I didn't have my son until I was 27, and my daughter when I was 30.

I've never been told that, nor do I agree with it. I live in the Deep South though, and there are lots of weird things people think and say.
The father of a friend once told me that since I was an educated woman, I had an obligation to have children. I thought that was weird.

I think that you are probably just smarter than "the average bear"
Quote from the old yogi bear cartoons.. lol

I'm 30 and never getting married.

Guess you just have higher standards than those from the Deep South. Lol.
Oh wait a minute! I'm from the Deep South!

I can imagine that being a practical issue in the Deep South and in rural areas broadly.

I think people should marry when they are ready and mature enough. They are usually convinced they're both, well before they are.

Some people should never marry. I suspect I am one of them. It's just that I figured it out way too late in life.