Women ‘setting bar too high’

CAREER women who refuse to “marry down” are on the up and their refusal to lower their standards is leading to widespread heartbreak.

US research has revealed women have set the bar too high by searching for a man who is as well-educated and makes more money than them – and it has created a surplus of school leavers with more modest incomes.

Single TV, radio and podcast presenter Sami Lukis, who has “been dating for 30 years”, says she is sick of being told she is “too picky” in her search for a partner.

“I say I actually haven’t been picky enough,” the 48year-old said.

“I invested far too much time and emotional energy into toxic relationships with the wrong men ... maybe if I was a little more picky, I would not have wasted so much time on the wrong people.”

The US study reveals women are struggling to find the right one because there are too few high-earning men to go around.

But Queenslander Lukis said it was the pitfalls of modern dating that had created the “age of living single”.

“People are feeling more empowered to stay single for longer,” said Lukis, who has just released a podcast called Romantically Challenged. “If I am going to have a romance in my life, then that needs to be someone that adds value to my life not detracts from it.”