“This Fawning, Flirty Type”: Singlehood, Gossip and Power Dynamics—Young Women in Rural Communities

Singlehood has received increasing attention from academic researchers in recent decades. However, when it comes to understanding the lives and experiences of single women in small rural communities, research is sorely lacking. In such communities, singles may have limited opportunities for finding companionship. These tight settings create the perfect environment for social control through gossip. This has damaging effects on young women who find their social lives and sexual activities under the microscope, as well as their expressions of sexuality. Drawing on interviews conducted with young women in small fishing villages in Iceland, this paper examines the lives of single women in small Icelandic communities, particularly when it comes to their social space, love life, and sexual activities as well as gossip about them. The findings reveal patterns of social exclusion against single women in these communities. Moreover, the study uncovers gendered slut-shaming practices and power dynamics that emerge between local and non-local inhabitants.