There’s a recent trend being discussed among scientists where women are deciding to leave relationships with men altogether, a phenomenon referred to as ‘mankeeping’.
This shift is attributed to an overwhelming amount of emotional labor that women are finding increasingly difficult to manage. Experts suggest this trend has been exacerbated by what is being called a ‘male friendship recession’.
Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared loneliness a national epidemic in 2023. Surveys indicate that young men in America, particularly those aged 15 to 34, are among the loneliest in the Western world.
Over the last thirty years, the social circles of men have reportedly shrunk compared to those of women. As a result, many men, lacking close friendships, have turned to the women in their lives for emotional support.
A recent study in psychology highlights that the narrowing of male friendship circles is affecting their female partners. Women are reportedly opting for solitude rather than addressing the increased emotional labor.
Published in Psychology of Men & Masculinities, the study by Stanford researchers introduces the idea of ‘mankeeping’ as a concept.
“Mankeeping refers to the efforts women make to compensate for men’s thinner social networks, which can strain their time and well-being,” according to the study.
The term ‘mankeeping’ describes the labor women undertake to fill the gaps in men’s social networks, easing the burden of men’s loneliness on families, relationships, and the men themselves.
This emerging trend adds a new dimension to the existing gender inequality that women face both at home and in romantic partnerships.
Angelica Ferrara, the lead author and postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University’s Clayman Institute for Gender Research, states the study shows women spend several hours weekly on the emotional and social well-being of the men in their lives.
Ferrara explains that ‘mankeeping’ is often unnoticed and not limited to romantic partners; it also extends to family, coworkers, and friends.
The theory of ‘mankeeping’ is divided into three main components: emotional support, building social networks, and teaching social skills.
The study suggests that women provide increased emotional support to men lacking it elsewhere, a form of labor that is a burden and not equally returned.
This challenging situation is significantly discouraging women from pursuing relationships, leading to a pattern of ‘quiet-quitting’, where they mentally disengage but remain physically present.
Another study found that 23 percent of women are now less inclined to date compared to men, due to the heavy emotional investment required in past relationships.