Fenomena Perempuan Tunda Menikah “Late Marriage”

Abstract

The phenomenon of women choosing to delay marriage (late marriage) is increasingly visible in modern Indonesian society, although patriarchal culture still strongly perceives marriage as a social obligation and a symbol of women's success. This study aims to identify the factors influencing adult women’s decisions to postpone marriage and to understand how they interpret this choice within the context of social pressure and patriarchal power relations. This research employs a descriptive qualitative method with a phenomenological approach and involves ten female informants over the age of 34, with at least a bachelor’s degree, stable employment, and monthly income above five million rupiah. The findings show that the decision to delay marriage is not an absolute rejection of the institution itself but rather a conscious and reflective action rooted in gender awareness. Influencing factors include traumatic or negative experiences related to marriage within the family or social environment, a desire to maintain economic independence and personal freedom, and difficulty finding a partner whose values align with their own. Informants still experience social pressures and stigmas such as the question “when will you get married?”, yet they manage to cope thanks to their economic capital, educational background, and critical awareness of gender inequality. From the perspective of Marxist feminist theory, this phenomenon is understood as women’s resistance to patriarchal and capitalist domination that places women in subordinate positions through the institution of marriage. Women choose to postpone marriage as a strategy to maintain control over their lives, define happiness independently, and reject traditional norms that restrict their roles. This study affirms that late marriage is not merely about delaying marriage but also reflects a shift in social values, where women become active agents negotiating their roles and happiness beyond the structural pressures of society.