STARTING FROM SCRATCH: Iocaste

[Really interesting stuff in the comments, by the way. --Eve]

Over at Daily Kos, there's a post advocating a position that's becoming more and more popular these days: How about we take the state out of the "marriage" business, leave the word "marriage" to churches, and replace the legal concept of marriage with "civil unions" across the board?

This is an idea that many have advocated, and I agree -- only I'd take it a step further. How about we extend the civil union concept to friends as well as lovers? Cousins. Parent and child. Brother and sister. Any two people who make a commitment to share expenses and responsibilities. (It could go beyond two people, theoretically, but that might be harder to administer).

The New York Times had an article not terribly long ago about the growing phenomenon of older women agreeing to live together, share expenses, and take care of each other:
Older Women Team Up to Face the Future Together ...

Why shouldn't these women get the same legal benefits associated with marriage, if they so choose? It's time to rethink the notion that households must be anchored with a sexual union -- whether it be a union between opposite-sex or same-sex partners. Given today's divorce rates, it's hardly plausible that sexual unions are more stable or long-lasting than friendships. So why not?

more

posted by Eve at 1:45 AM | link

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home