There is a possible television documentary series about single women in the works. If it happens, it will air during Women’s History Month. The series will be based on Nika Beamon’s book, I Didn’t Work This Hard Just to Get Married: Successful Single Black Women Speak Out, discussed here. The producers are interested in stories from White, Asian, and Latina women, too.
Nika and the producers are looking for “compelling single women to tell their stories.” If you are interested, send your contact info to me at BellaDePaulo [at] gmail.com, and I’ll pass it along. Even though Women’s History Month is far away, work will start on the documentary series very soon. As is always true with media opportunities, they are never entirely certain until they are a wrap.
Sounds interesting, though I’d be concerned about how it ends up being put together. They could, for example, edit this documentary to portray them as these poor, lonely women who just can’t find a husband. Maybe I’m wrong. In any case, I’ll look for it this coming March.
You are right, Justin. That is a concern. Nika’s book isn’t like that, so I think that tips the scales a bit in the right direction. But it is always a risk.
I don’t know if I’m sufficiently compelling, but I love the project. I’m thinking of the time I was lying in the ditch, knowing I might not make it, and thinking how there was nothing I wanted to change about how I’m living my life; I just wanted to be able to go on living it. Don’t know if that’s a story hook, but there it is.
I think that is an awesome hook! I know you wrote about that — I don’t think it was in your guest post but in one of your comments, right? Do you remember which one?
Psyngle,
You could talk about being single in the context of your accident, and how while you were single, you were not alone and woebetrodden (well, not any more than anyone would be after such a physical trauma). The accident is compelling, as is the whole idea of being single-while-sick. I feel it’s a VERY VERY important topic to discuss, for two reasons that need dismantling:
1) the marriage-centered laws that deprive singles of financial and social support during times when they are incapacitated, and
2) the stereotype of dying alone, arguably one of the most powerful that drives people away from singlehood, is closely related to the stereotype of being sick/disabled and not having someone to care for you (the latter being a more reasonable fear given number 1, but still not an inevitable outcome of singlehood).
Soooo my point is your experiences would definitely be compelling enough.
CC
Thanks for weighing in with your encouragement to Psyngle — I totally agree!
Thanks, Onely, and may I use “woebetrodden?” I love it! : )
Psyngle, I am always fully in favor of anyone using the wonderful word “woebetrodden” = ) = )
CC