Rewriting the Narrative: The Surprising Truth About Women and Marriage in 2025

author/source: Laura Doyle

Photo Courtesy of Sergey Sokolov Despite media narratives suggesting women’s dissatisfaction with marriage, the data might surprise you. Laura Doyle’s recent survey, “The State of Marriage In 2025,” challenges these misconceptions with her refreshingly positive outlook on marital relations.

This comprehensive industry survey revealed several things:

Marriage rates are up while divorce rates are down
Wives and husbands prioritize traditional values and personal fulfillment

1. The Current Media Narrative: Women’s Dissatisfaction with Marriage

These days, media narratives generally center around unhappy wives and rising divorce rates. For instance, author Lyz Lenz claims divorce as a remedy for unhappy marriages, and that 70% are undertaken by “tired, fed up, exhausted, and no longer in love” women.

Academic Emma Heywood further evaluated how gender inequalities may cause married women to fulfill traditional marital roles through coerced compliance, but with decreased emotional support and financial freedom.

But with hot takes like these, media outle Photo Courtesy of Diana Shchurova ts oversensationalize marriage decline, increased divorce stats, and women’s shifting attitudes toward long-term commitments. These perspectives may misrepresent how most married women feel, with only 40% of marriages ending in divorce since 2022, which is significantly lower than many overblown media claims.

2. Introducing Laura Doyle’s Study: A Different Perspective

To flip these notions on their head, Laura Doyle used a survey-based methodology to collect data from approximately 600 women. She captured their insights around satisfaction, challenges, and the future outlook of marriage.

Subjects ranged from 53 respondents married for three years or less versus 129 marriages of 19-25 years, providing a varied, holistic perspective.

3. The Surprising Findings: Women Are More Satisfied Than We’re Led to Believe

456 respondents (68.7%) strongly believed that their marriages would improve within five years. Moreover, 116 respondents gave their marriages a happiness score of 7 out of 10.

This suggests that women were far happier than expected, and that they saw their struggles as solvable..

Photo Courtesy of Butuhan Dogan Moreover, 432 respondents rated feeling loved as a prominent source of happiness, suggesting that supportive marriages can result in personal and professional fulfillment, negating the media’s viewpoint.

4. The Impact of Media Representation: Misinformation and Missed Opportunities

The media often misinterprets complex relationship dynamics, contributing to a skewed view of marriage. In reality, divorce rates have decreased steadily to 7% while marriage rates have remained at 16% since 2022.

Doyle’s research shows that more women are content with their marriages when they feel heard, understood, and respected in a relationship. Nevertheless, there’s still prevalent backlash against marriages emphasizing traditional values due to the media’s influence.

5. Why Traditional Values Still Matter: Insights from the Study

Laura Doyle revealed that traditional values (i.e., mutual respect, emotional support, commitment to the relationship, etc.) are key to marital satisfaction. About 329 respondents valued shared experiences, from meals to similar viewpoints, indicating healthier relationships where they’re appreciated by their partners.

This suggests that traditional values help couples navigate modern marital challenges while fostering deeper connections.

6. Moving Forward: How We Can Change the Conversation Around Marriage

We hope this encourages more balanced discussions around shifting the marriage narrative.

“The State of Marriage In 2025” offers a more positive perspective on women and marriage than what’s often portrayed in the media, making it crucial for objective reporting on marital challenges and successes.

Instead of experiencing disillusionment, our experienced coaches help you be the change you want to see, transforming your marriage into a playful and passionate partnership.

Laura Doyle is a bestselling author, host of the Empowered Wife podcast, and a marriage coach who has helped more than 15,000 women save their marriages.