[yowlingcat]

This is an oft repeated trope that flies in the face of evolutionary history [1]. Because it doesn't actually work, I think that it reflects socioeconomic class demarcations -- that is, the upper class and the lower classes take different strategies.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R/K_selection_theory

[mgamache]

My hypothesis is supported by dating and sex data. And no it doesn't work at scale or for very long, but it is a driver of mate selection.

[drjasonharrison]

Peer reviewed citations or we'll assume that your data is anecdotal. And skewed from a sub-population that is interested in data and sex rather than mating and marriage. The platforms that provide matches aren't very motivated to find perfect matches that lead to marriages. They haven't yet expanded into the marriage industry.

Women raising children alone may be due to a large number of factors and grouping them into "women don't need men, they just need sperm" is missing the support (sometimes) available from their male partner.

[mgamache]

I need peer reviewed data to suggest that women want to seek the best mate possible? In the modern context 'the best' doesn't include as much weight on providing food and shelter.