ROOMMATES: Justin Katz replies to Gabriel Rosenberg

...Joe's admission evoked a curious look from the woman at the bar. "So you and your friend are married?"

"Yup."

Her eyebrows lowered as she laughed nervously. "Are you...," she said, finishing her sentence with the pantomime of a limp wrist.

"Nope." In a tone of practiced nonchalance, he explained that they just hadn't wanted his employment benefits to go to waste while John was partially unemployed and working toward his graduate degree. Joe sipped his beer and added, with a broad smile, "And our bedrooms are on opposite ends of the house."

She tittered again, but this time, the lowered eyebrows gave way to a deep blush.


Imagine the same scene if the woman had been the one attempting to explain that she was married to her "roommate" John for convenience. Professor Rosenberg may not see any reason that society shouldn't move toward gender-neutral cultural subtext, but to advocate as much is to dismiss notions of human nature and to discard endlessly subtle and integral roles that have developed over millennia.

The only way for a pair's marital pronouncements to become the only relevant indication of their relationship is for cultural comprehension and expectations between men and women (or any combination) to be drained completely from society. That is simply not possible among human beings, even if it weren't undesirable. Universities may be pushing their campuses toward the androgyny represented by unisex bathrooms, but the country at large is much less amenable to such social engineering.

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Lots of interesting discussion in the comments section, as well.
posted by Eve at 7:00 PM | link

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