Ritual Appraisement in White Singles’ Bars: From A Woman’s Perspective

Authors

Mary Jo Deegan, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

1973

Citation

Deegan, Mary Jo. 1973. “Ritual Appraisement in White Singles’ Bars: From a Woman’s Perspective.” Typescript. 14 pp. Department of Sociology, University of Chicago. [For a published summary of this research, see Mary Jo Deegan, “Humanizing the Meat Market,” Society 11 (November-December, 1973: 11); for subsequent analysis, see Mary Jo Deegan, “The Meet/Meat market Ritual” in American Ritual Dramas: Social Rules and Cultural Meanings, by Mary Jo Deegan (New York: Greenwood Press, 1989: 31-50)].

Comments

Copyright 1973 Mary Jo Deegan.

Abstract

Singles bars provide a unique opportunity to observe sexual norms and mores in action. This set of expectations is particularly visible in these spots because they accentuate the mobility and "meat market" aspects of selection of dating partners. The meat market bargaining process is an important part of this ritual introduction, and it is a major organizing concept in the analysis.