Lady Whistleup summonses Freo’s 60+ Singles

Here at Fremantle Shipping News we are always on the lookout for social opportunities that might interest our loyal readers.

In that regard, it has very recently come to our attention that there is to be a Monthly Mingler for 60+ singles on Thursday, 30 May at Ode to Sirens in High Street Freo.

What an idea! We weren’t entirely surprised to discover the contact person for this initiative is one Sarah@spacemarket.com.au – that is, none other than Sarah Booth, Freo Mover & Shaker, the subject of our most recent Freo Person podcast here on FSN. Now Sarah isn’t anywhere 60, let alone 60+, but we are pleased to learn she has the welfare of the older single folk of Freo at heart.

Sarah – perhaps we should henceforth call her not Lady Whistledown but Lady Whistleup – tells us that this is the second such get together and that she’d love it to become a regular last Thursday of the month thing.

The common belief of course is that single women over 60 far outnumber single men over 60. But do they?

Writing in the US HuffPost just over 10 years ago, Renee Fisher explained that older single women, have long pondered the ‘enigma of the elusive older single male’.

She concluded it was a losing battle and that statistics prove it. According to Renee’s research into US data, at ages 50-54, there are equal numbers of single men and single women. At ages 60-64, there are close to 2.3 single women to every single man. By ages 70-74, the ratio is 4 to 1.

Renee then amusingly reported that: ‘The last actual sighting of a single man age 75 or above was made in July of 2008, and he was later proven to be an extraterrestrial. Thousands of older women expressed interest in dating him, but, after several unsuccessful dates on Match.com, he fled to his home planet.’

Well this got us thinking about the Aussie data and so we asked ChatGPT: ‘In Western countries like Australia, what is the proportion of single women over 60 years of age to single men over 60?’

Here’s what ChatGPT, in a very technical fashion, advised us –

To provide accurate proportions, let’s break down the estimates:

1. **Total Population Over 60 in Australia**:
– Assume approximately 5 million people over 60.

2. **Gender Ratio**:
– About 52% are women.
– About 48% are men.

3. **Proportion of Single Individuals Over 60**:
– Around 35% of women over 60 are single.
– Around 25% of men over 60 are single.

Based on these assumptions:

– **Women over 60**: 5 m x 0.52 = 2.6 m women
– **Men over 60**: 5 m x 0.48 = 2.4 m men

Based on the assumptions and calculations:

– **Proportion of single women over 60**: 18.2% of the total population over 60.
– **Proportion of single men over 60**: 12% of the total population over 60.

These estimates suggest that there are relatively more single women over 60 compared to single men in the same age group in Australia.

Well, there you are. What do you think? Does that sound about right? Seems to run against Renee’s take on the elusive older single male. If Renee is right, though, are all the single men over 60 hiding? Are they all at home on Thursday nights watching the footy or binging Bridgerton? Or are they simply too afraid of what might happen if they were to meet an outgoing, confident single woman of around their own age at a 60+ singles night in Freo?

Only one way for all 60+ single folk around Freo to find out, isn’t there? Turn up at Ode to Sirens on 30 May and discover for yourselves!

By Michael Barker, Editor, Fremantle Shipping News

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