Unmarried are invisible, forgotten

[liberalhistorian]

10. I was single until my marriage at almost 43

several years ago, and the difference between the way I was treated in general and the benefits I received before my marriage and afterwards is like night and day. There are hundreds of tangible and intangible legal, tax, financial, economic, and social benefits available to the married couple the minute they say their "I dos", even though they're the same people they were before. Not only are these benefits not available at all to singles, they're also not available to committed couples who choose not to marry, for whatever reason (which they have the right to do). Immediately upon my marriage, I was quoted far lower rates for my auto insurance than I was currently paying, as well as lower rates on my one low-limit (by my choice, I don't need or want a lot of credit) credit card. When I looked the gift horse in the mouth and asked why, because I was the same person I was a few days before, when I wasn't married, they gave me some bullshit about how it was their policy to give lower rates to married people because marriage meant "more stability and reliability." Uh-huh. Right.

I was eligible for hubby's health insurance plan and his retirement benefits (and vice versa, if I'd had either); after ten years, if he dies (God forbid, can't even bear to think about it at all and hopefully won't have to for decades to come), I can receive his social security if I so choose. All of these things and hundreds of other benefits that most married people don't even think about suddenly became available to hubby and I the minute we became Mr. and Mrs. That isn't fair, and why should only married couples be given such advantages, especially when it comes to taxes and economic/financial matters?????