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- Emma Watson, 35, says the pressure to get married is ‘a violence’ against young people (businessinsider.com)
Emma Watson Challenges “Cruel” Societal Pressure to Marry Young, Joins Other Stars in Advocating for Personal Timelines
Actress Emma Watson is speaking out against what she calls the “violence” and “cruelty” of societal pressure on young people, particularly women, to marry by a certain age. The 35-year-old star recently shared her views, suggesting that tying a person’s self-worth to their marital status is not only unromantic but also harmful.
During a recent appearance on Jay Shetty’s “On Purpose” podcast, Watson detailed her perspective, expressing relief at not having married young. “I’m just so happy not to be divorced yet,” she told Shetty, explaining that she believes individuals are often “pressured and forced” into a decision that should be a “miracle.” She further described this social expectation as “the least romantic thing I can possibly think of,” adding that an earlier marriage for her “would have been carnage” as she hadn’t yet fully known herself or her purpose.
Watson emphasized the unfairness of linking a person’s value to their marital status. “I think it’s such a violence, and it’s such a cruelty on people — especially young people, I think, and especially women — to make them feel like they have no worth or like they haven’t succeeded yet in life,” she stated. She highlighted that building a lasting relationship requires significant introspection and effort, something that cannot be rushed or forced.
Watson is not alone in her sentiments. Other prominent female figures have also voiced similar experiences.
Kim Kardashian, for instance, admitted in 2017 that societal pressure influenced her brief 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries. “At the time, I just thought, ‘Holy crap, I’m 30 years old.
I’d better get this together. I’d better get married,'” Kardashian recounted, acknowledging she knew on her honeymoon it wouldn’t work.
Similarly, Tracee Ellis Ross spoke in a July 2025 interview about her mother, Diana Ross, teaching her the value of self-sufficiency and not needing a man to build her desired life and career.
These celebrity perspectives align with broader demographic shifts. Data from the US Census shows a significant trend toward marrying later in life.
In 2024, the median age for a first marriage was 30.2 for men and 28.6 for women, a notable increase from 23.2 and 20.8 respectively in 1970. This trend extends beyond marriage, with Gen Z, in particular, delaying many traditional markers of adulthood, including having children and obtaining driver’s licenses.
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- Emma Watson, 35, says the pressure to get married is ‘a violence’ against young people (businessinsider.com)