Soloists: Parental responsibility, “statutory” solitude, and relational support in the experience of lone motherhood

Based on two studies about lone motherhood, this article highlights the various dimensions of solitude experienced by single mothers, countering the idea that they are isolated. Bearing sole parental responsibility, their solitude is primarily statutory—linked to their legal status—and mitigated through the involvement of their social circle and forms of female solidarity. This solitude can, in retrospect, be interpreted as a conscious choice and a liberating experience that reconfigures their relationship to the couple dynamic and heteronormative family structures.