Amy Gahran, “Stepping Off the Relationship Escalator: Uncommon Love and Life”

Personal autonomy

Independence can be a matter of identity: who you are, not just how you navigate situations.

People who consider themselves solo tend to prioritize personal autonomy: their own, and that of others. Typically they maintain a strong identity as an individual and eschew the merging with partners that the Relationship Escalator encourages. Solos usually prefer not to need anyone’s permission or approval to make their own life choices; and they accept that others are entitled to make their own life choices, as well.