Why do papers have to say somebody is a loner?.

It's a statement of fact. Someone with no friends or family is a loner. End of!

I don't think so, Frank

It's a factor in profiling certain offenders, too. Newspapers know they are implying someone is capable of committing serious offences when they use this term, which is only true for a percentage of offenders.

Agree it is unfair.

It's code, like 'fun-loving' applied to a woman.

Same as always giving someones age or describing someone as curvy or what school they went to wether relevant or not.

'Recluse' also has negative connotations. My Ancient Uncle always described himself as 'Independent' - and 'able to stand on his own two feet' which he was until he had a stroke and later broke his hip. He finds it very hard to come to terms with living in a care home - feels he has no freedom and 'keeps himself to himself' as best he can in the circumstances. A classic 'loner' he is in no way a danger to anyone (except himself during his escape attempts). He reminds us of the 'Hermless' character in Michael Marra's song.

I'm a recluse and a loner in the real world....I know I don't appear to be on here lol. I'm very shy in real life and acting confident is very tiring so I don't seek out company. Also I find too many people in one place overwhelming.

HERMLESS
(Michael Marra)
Wi' my hand on my heart and my heart in my mooth
Wi' arms that could reach ower the sea
My feet micht be big but the insects are safe
They'll never get stood on by me

Hermless, hermless there's never nae bother fae me
I gang tae the libry, I tak oot a book
And then I go hame for my tea

I save a' the coupons that come wi' the soup
And when I have saved fifty-three
I send awa' fifty, pit three in the drar
And something gets posted tae me

Hermless, hermless there's never nae bother fae me
I dae whit I'm telt and I tidy my room
And then I come doon for my tea

There's ane or twa lads wha' I could ca' my chums
They're canny and meek as can be
There's Tam wi' his pigeons And Wull wi'his mice
And Robert McLennan and me

Hermless, hermless there's never nae bother fae me
Naebody'd notice that I wasnae there
If I didnae come hame for my tea

vq you aren't a mad axe murderer, but a gentile lady, so you will be called 'private and home-loving!'

That's quite sad isn't it?
I suppose, Frank it's the same reason women's ages are often given, rarely men's: people are described as "pensioners" if over the age of 60 although goodness knows there's a world of difference between the stereotypical little old nana or grandad and most people in that age range 60-90+; hair colour (again for women) "blonde" = ditzy, "flame-haired" = a siren and grey haired - well takes us back to old!
It's trying to establish a persona - however inaccurate or irrelevant.
Nobody describes Helen Mirren as a "grey haired pensioner" even although she is presumably in receipt of her OAP, do they?
But "pensioner- have-a-go- granny" immediately conjures up the image of game old dear bashing yob over the head with her capacious handbag.
It's all a load of nonsense and as usual, the media resort to cliches when they have little of real interest to say.When they have to fill a column they will pad out what litttle they have often with little regard for the truth!

The inference is that if you are a loner it is because you are odd, different, probably sexually deviant. And even though you may be all of those things it doesnt makes you anymore likely than anyone else to commit any kind of crime.

Dale Cregan and that couple whose children died when they hatched a plot to get a better house and benefits were clearly at the centre of large families but it didnt stop any of them, if a conviction confirms it, of commiting quite heinous crimes with other family memebers involved.

gracesmum Helen Mirren currently has pink hair.

I know!!(That's why I chose her)