should living together be equal to a marraige?

[JustAnotherGen]

11. No

Some people simply don't believe in the certificate, the vows, the etc. etc.

Some people have lived in long term relationships (myself) and simply do not those relationships in the same league as their 'now' marriage. . . . In my case - confirmed bachelorette got 'caught' and he - and only he has ever been my 'husband'.

Putting some guys I shacked up with in my 20's as 'back dated' husbands is absolutely insulting to me and does not honor the man that is my husband. They weren't good enough to have that title. Only he did.


I'd much rather see marriage (from a Federal Tax break perspective) be expanded so that ALL who wish to marry in the US can.

We were in tears on February 2, 2013 at 6:30 a.m. when we saw what happens to your Federal tax return when you get married. They were happy tears. I don't see why our friends Tim and Gareth don't get to cry those same happy tears.

So - the answer in the US is not making live in temp 'good for now' relationships marriages - it's to expand marriage.


I'm thinking just from a legal perspective - folks who want to test run a relationship prior to marriage . . . Yikes! I mean - we are talking pre-live documents up the yin yang wazoo. As a high earning woman there is no way I would have put my neck and finances on the line for some guy who may or may not be there in 5 years.


But after my second live in? I said never again. Not unless it was sociallly acceptable that one 'had to' live with someone else.