A cartoon of the "fake single," who is married in law but hides the fact in public.
A recent online debate about the ethics of concealing one's marriage and pretending to be single has caused a stir amid the internet community.

One internet user named "niuniu625228" says most companies don't want to recruit married women for fear they have to deal with more personal affairs than the average single women, and that this has prompted many married female jobseekers to conceal their wedding ring in public.

However, another netizen named "Xiaoxiangyeyue" said in an online forum that she was able to find a good job despite being married -- but added that she did experience discrimination from interviewers who seemed overly concerned about how caring for her child might affect her job.
 
According to a report in the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily, most people who conceal their marriage are women between 25 to 35 years old who believe they will enjoy more chances in life if they present themselves as single.

A survey by the newspaper revealed that most of those that chose to conceal the fact they are married did so because of pressure from society and the workplace.

Some internet users who concealed their marital status confessed to doing so because, aside from fierce competition for jobs, they want to maintain a good social life as married people are not welcome at some parties.

Like "Xiaoxiangyeyue," most internet users disapprove of concealing one's marriage, and consider it to be breaking a holy bond.

Netizen "Ylang" said concealing one's marriage for a long period of time could be detrimental to a relationship. This is not to mention the potential embarrassment if one's true married status is revealed or, worse still, one starts dating an unwitting partner.

Internet user "Love's Lie" points out that marriage does not necessarily mean abandoning one's friends. Actively maintaining relationships and meeting new people could alleviate the anxiety of someone who may otherwise be tempted to hide the fact they are married.

Sociologist Peng Nanlin told the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily that hiding ones marriage is a dangerous game which can weaken a couple's family responsibility and cause a crisis in the relationship. If the duplicitous married person's true identity is exposed, both they and their friends and colleagues risk getting hurt.

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